


hardest thing is being left behind

by Dabberdees



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Complete, Don't worry I really put Thirteen Ryan and Yaz through hell as well :), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It's a equal ride through hell for all of them, M/M, The Good Doctor book reference, bi!graham, let the grandad catch up to you, off screen beating, okay i didn't plan to make it gay but i made it gay, they can have a little gay as a treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22592233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dabberdees/pseuds/Dabberdees
Summary: "He's not my responsibility. He's always a few steps behind, I've stopped checking." - Fugitive of the Judoon.Graham gets left behind, only this time it's not just a handsome captain who scoops him off his feet.Complete.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Graham O'Brien, Thirteenth Doctor & Yasmin Khan & Graham O'Brien & Ryan Sinclair
Comments: 90
Kudos: 192





	1. Chapter 1

This is the second time Graham's been tied up and left in a room reeking of rust, the smell sticking in the back of his throat and turning his stomach. His arms are strapped to the armrests, but this time, compared to the last, differs slightly because his captors saw fit to throw a bag over his head — dark cloth and stinking of whatever or whoever wore it before. The fibres of the sack tickle his nose, and he's getting very frustrated, who knew having an itchy nose was a long-forgotten method of torture? Graham didn't, that's for sure.

He leans his head back against the headrest and tries to blow the fibres away, sighing when it does nothing to alleviate his annoyance with them.

"You can't keep me in here," Graham yells through the sack, voice muffled while he struggles against the restraints again and groaning when they won't budge. "Why is it always me? First with that nutter Mykados and his kooky cult based on my face, and now this," He talks, hands gesturing as much as they can.

But if he's being honest, he's glad it's him and not Ryan or Yaz, or the Doc, he supposes. Call it a grandfather innate need to protect them. No, this is for the better, they can rescue him like they did before while remaining safe and away from whoever captured him.

Now that's a thought. The last thing he knew was they were in a market, he stepped away for a second and the next thing he knew they were gone, and he was left alone on an alien world and kidnapped-

_'What if they left without you?'_

An internal thought asks, prodding at age-old insecurities. He's older now, and he can pick it apart, see it for what it truly is. A nonsensical thought, like walking through an aisle in Tesco and thinking 'Hey, I could steal that-' and then shaking your head wondering why you ever thought that you-

The sound of the door opening stops that train of thought dead. Two sets of feet shuffle in, a wheeled trolley- Oh, okay, no the last time someone wheeled in a trolley it was filled with devices he'd really rather not see again, so this doesn't bode well at all.

"Remove the hood," A gruff voice says. Graham blinks his eyes the moment the hood is taken away, the sudden light burning them as he squints up at the giant of a man stood in front of him. "Really thought you could come back here again."

"What?" Graham asks with puzzlement.

"You thought that we have forgotten what you did, you ruined our plans-"

"What?" Graham blurts out again, this time face switching into proper confused levels. "I honestly have no idea what you're chatting on about, mate."

"We found your ship parked in the alleyway," The man sneers down at him. "And then you, leaving it and standing in the crowd completely out of place amongst the rabble gathered." His hand reaches out and grabs ahold of Graham's dark blue jacket. "You changed your face again."

Graham stares wide-eyed at the stranger. "Look, mate, I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding-"

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

The man lets go of Graham's jacket and leans in, breath hot on his face. "Go on then, Doctor, tell me why you think we made a misunderstanding."

Graham groans. "You think I'm the Doc," He says while pointedly avoiding the trolley and the glinting metal atop of it. "But I'm not the Doc, never have been, just a bus driver."

"You look like the Doctor," The man points out, hand now rising to Graham's face and tracing down it. "Got lines like he had the last time he was here."

"Look, you ain't the first to think I was the Doctor," Graham confesses. "Bloke called C thought I was h-" He pauses, eyes narrowing slightly. "Him," He says instead, playing into who they still think the Doctor is. "-then another guy thought I was him." Graham leaves off the mention of what Jack did when he first saw him, that's between them for the time being. "Scan me, if you don't believe me, you'll see that I just have the one heart when the Doc has two, I think."

The unknown man leans away and glances to the silent man. "Scan him."

"Are you sure this isn't just a trick, general-"

"I said, scan him."

The man nods his head, and Graham watches as he pulls out a device, something similar to what a diabetic would use to test their blood sugar. "I hope you haven't used that on other people."

The man ignores him, hand reaching out to Graham's left and quickly jabbing the sharp end of the needle in. Graham watches the pinprick of blood pool atop his fingertip, quickly vanishing when the man places a strip against it. He shoves it into a larger device and waits until it beeps.

"Well?"

"Human, sir," The smaller man answers, eyes glancing to Graham. "Completely human, a few oddities-"

"Oi, that's-"

"But definitely human."

"Can the device be tricked?"

"No, sir," He answers. "He's telling the truth, he's not the Doctor, but he's also not from this world."

The general growls, fist balling together. "There was no mistake though," He gestures at Grahan. "This man was seen leaving the Doctor's ship."

"Told you I wasn't the Doc," Graham says, drawing attention back to himself and regretting it. "There's been a mistake."

"You did," The general murmurs. "You seem to know the Doctor, though."

"What?"

"You speak about him like you know him well," The general narrows his eyes. "Was there a woman with you as well, short with dark hair?"

Graham flicks his eyes between the pair, swallowing thickly. "I don't know anything about what went on here, though, and I really have no idea who that could be."

"I suppose she's not really important compared to the Doctor," The general replies, head tilting to the side. "The last time the Doctor was here, he travelled with a human girl, very nosy, but he was attached to her."

"Uh-"

"Maybe your Doctor is the same," The general continues, a wicked smile lighting up his features. "Maybe he's attached to you."

This is the moment that Graham needs the Doctor to arrive, do a flourished entrance, use her aikido or whatever she called it on little and large and then sonic the straps off him before grabbing his hand and hightailing it out of here.

But unfortunately, he has none of that and instead, a sinking feeling that this time, they're not going to get interrupted like they were before. There's no double agent to enter, to distract and save him from whatever this brute is about to do. He closes his eyes and waits, pleading that wherever the Doctor is, she'll get here soon.

* * *

He's not dead, so that's a plus, but he is injured and in desperate need of a doctor. His head throbs, the world spins whenever he tries to lift it from its position on his chest. He's pretty sure he has a broken rib or a few. The lug of a man really did hit hard.

Graham groans and then wheezes when he struggles to get himself into a position that isn't so uncomfortable. Still, it's hard, and the floor of the cell they threw him in is concrete, cold and unfeeling.

He lowers himself to the floor and settles into a lying position, head now resting on his right arm, eyes locked on the opposite wall. "Come on, Doc," He murmurs, voice slurring. "Where are you? You're never this late for a rescue-

_'What if they left without you?'_

"Shut up."

_'But what if they did, Graham?'_

Echoes in his head once again and this time he can't shake it away so easily, too tired to try and banish it. It progresses, turns darker, digging into his pain-induced paranoia.

_'They've left you behind before-'_   
_'Didn't even realise they did it-'_   
_'What's saying that they got bored and left again?'_

Graham screws his eyes shut.

_'You've thought about it before, haven't you?'_

"No," Graham mumbles.

_'You did,' The voice proceeds. 'Every time they never stopped to look to see if you were keeping up with them-'_

"It's intrusive thoughts," Graham protests, wishing them away, but failing. "None of it is true."

_'What about the first time Ryan stopped looking behind, that stung didn't it? Always looking out for him, only for him to turn his back on you-'_

Graham opens his eyes again, emotions boiling over in streaks down his sore face. It's been hours, and they haven't come, do they even know he's gone? Or will they simply enter the TARDIS again and wait for him to never show? They've done that before, left him behind and entered the TARDIS, it was only when he entered that they remembered. Too caught up in the problem at hand to remember about him.

The rational side of him tries to speak up, tries to hope for rescue, but he's hurt and confused. Questions were thrown at him, stuff he could never answer. The name Clara said, unfamiliar to Graham's ears, but familiar on their tongues, said with such disdain. Whoever she was, she angered them, and he paid the price for that by virtue of knowing the Doctor.

His thoughts spiral, tripping over themselves as he succumbs to the head wound, the throbbing increasing and consciousness fading into sleep, fitful and restless.

* * *

Someone is carrying him, broad arms under his legs and arms. It jostles, and he can't help the groan that escapes from his throat.

"Yeah, sorry bud," A male voice says from above. "But we're nearly there, got stuff that'll sort you right out, nice and quick as well, you won't even know it hurts."

Graham frowns, regretting that decision when it pulls on his everything. "Doc?"

"More like Captain,"

"Jack?"

"Got it in one, silver fox," Jack replies, eyes flicking down to Graham. "I'll explain, but first you need to rest."

"How?"

"Later," Jack replies. "Gotta get you fixed up first."

* * *

The second time Graham awakens it's definitely comfier, that's for certain. The throbbing in his head has vanished, but the ache in his chest remains; still, it's a damn sight better than what he's had the last few times.

"You're awake then,"

"Mhm,"

"Been out for a few days," Jack reveals. "Why were you there in the first place?"

"Dunno," Graham murmurs, tiredly and with eyes remaining shut. "Where's the Doc?"

"You don't know?"

Graham cracks one eye open and looks at Jack with a sour expression. "No."

"I was kinda hoping you did," Jack says, dropping that into his lap. "I couldn't locate her or your other friends at all."

Graham looks away. "Was the TARDIS there?"

"It was there, managed to pick that signal up, but it was gone by the time I looked."

Graham clenches his jaw tightly. "So, they left then."

Jack frowns at Graham and steps closer to the bed he's on. "What do you mean?"

"They left me behind-"

"I doubt they left you behind."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Graham interjects with rare anger. "Running off without checking to see if I can keep up, or just-" He trails away as he sits up with a grunt. "-they left me behind."

"Graham-"

"How did you find me?" Graham asks, cutting Jack off. "Did you scoop me again?"

Jack hums for a moment, face twisting before relaxing again. "I had a sample of your DNA, wasn't too hard to rig up a tracker on my Vortex Manipulator."

"You had my DNA?"

Jack raises an eyebrow. "I kissed you, remember."

"Oh," Graham mutters, remembering the surprise kiss between them. "It's not that I forgot about that, it's just, I didn't realise you could do that." He looks back at Jack again. "How did you know I was in trouble then?"

"Biometrics," Jack reveals. "And before you ask, I wasn't stalking you, but I was keeping tabs, trying to find a way back to the Doctor so I could give them a warning-"

"About the Cyberman thingy."

Jack nods. "Yeah, but never could get a lock on her, something has been blocking me," He gestures to the device upon his wrist. "Then this started flashing, and I knew you were in danger, hopped in, grabbed you, and left." He glances back up at Graham. "You were in a right state, black and blue and out of it."

"Thanks, I guess," Graham shrugs, wincing in pain the moment he does it. "At least somebody came back for me." He snarks. "And it was a bloke I don't even bloody know apart from the time he mistook me for the Doctor."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Saying what?"

"That they left you behind."

Graham faces Jack. "It's not the first time they left me behind, Jack." He reveals. "First on new years with that Dalek, left me in the house with Aaron, only came back because I asked her to." He's ranting, and he knows it, but he can't stop. "Then other times I stop to look at something only to turn around and they're gone, all of them, not one could be bothered to stop and check to see if I was keeping up." He brings a hand to his face and exhales, pain flaring in his chest from the motion. "And now look what happened, got hurt because the Doc did something in the past."

"I doubt they meant to leave you behind, Graham."

"So, why was the TARDIS gone?"

"I don't know, Graham," Jack says, voice neutral. "But I've known the Doctor for a long time, and this doesn't sound like a thing they would do."

Graham sighs and wipes a hand across his tired eyes. "You're probably right." He says. "I'm in pain and," He shakes his head. "Tired."

"I know I am," Jack winks before tapping Graham on the arm. "I'll be able to get us back to your house if you tell me where you live."

"Sheffield."

"Sheffield is a big place, Graham, maybe narrow it down a tad?"

"Park Hill, well, near it."

"Alright," Jack says. "I'll get you back to Sheffield once you're fit to travel, in the meantime, relax while I search for the Doctor."

Graham nods. "Where am I, by the way?"

"Technically, you're in my bed-"

"Oh," Graham looks down. "Where are you, uh, did you want it back?"

"No," Jack answers. "I got the sofa-" He smirks. "Unless you want to share it."

Graham blinks at Jack, face reddening at the mere suggestion. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Jack laughs as he gets up. "That's not a no and I'll take it, silver fox." He turns away from the room. "Get some rest and let me find the Doctor."

"You think you can find her?"

"I'll give it my best shot while you're recovering," Jack promises. "Focus on that and let me focus on this."

"Alright," Graham replies. He watches as Jack gives him a swift nod and leaves the room. "Because if and when you do find her, I got some questions for them."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst

_A few days earlier…_

And the Doctor is bounding up a flight of stairs, taking two steps at a time, or at least trying to. "I swear these legs really did use to be longer."

Ryan glances to her and then to her legs. "How can you have longer legs and shorter ones now?"

"Regeneration, Ryan, remember?" The Doctor answers, giving up on the two step idea and settling on taking one at a time. "It's a lottery, hm," Her face frowns. "I once said that I would have shorter legs when I used some regeneration energy to- nevermind, it's not important, not when I want you all to meet someone."

"Who?" Yaz asks from the opposite side. 

"Just a guy here, want to check in and see how they're getting on now," The Doctor answers, sparing Yaz a quick look before facing forward again. "I once helped out and stopped a man and his crew taking away the resources from the people here." She scrunches her nose. "That's the problem with humans."

"Humans?"

"Yup," The Doctor confirms, popping the p sound. "You lot-"

"Uh, not all of us-"

"Fine, not all of you, Ryan, but a fair few in the beginning of your first voyages into space travel really thought they could go around slamming down flags on other people worlds-"

"Like Avatar?"

The Doctor stops and faces Ryan. "Avatar?"

"Yeah, the one with the blue aliens, not the ones with the elements-" 

The Doctor blinks at Ryan. "Blue aliens? That's offensive, Ryan; you shouldn't-"

"Doesn't matter, go on-"

"Right, anyway, some of you lot came here and-" She trails away, frowning. "Wait, where is Graham?" Yaz and Ryan glance around. "Ryan?"

"Why do you always ask me?" Ryan questions. "He's not my responsi-"

"He's your grandad."

"He's also an adult man and not a toddler," Ryan interjects. "He probably went into a café or something, like he always does."

The Doctor hesitates. She takes a few steps forward and pauses again, face twisting. "We should look for him; it would be a shame for him to miss out on this."

"Graham could be anywhere, though." Yaz points out.

"He could, but- The Doctor replies, turning and heading back down the steps. "-It'll take us about an hour to get back to the TARDIS, from there we'll just have to look for his signal which is easy here."

"How come?"

The Doctor doesn't look at Yaz as she answers. "You're human."

"You got a problem with humans today, Doctor?" Ryan smirks.

The Doctor snaps her head to him, surprised. "No, never, you lot are great-" She faces forward again. "I'm just saying that you, Yaz, and Graham should be the only humans here, so it'll be easy to track him down."

"Doctor, he's just messing with you."

"Oh." The Doctor murmurs. "Anyway, TARDIS, locate Graham and then we can check in on my friend."

The trip back to the TARDIS took a little longer than the Doctor said it would, taking the back routes and stopping to check out some of the local things did that.

But they still made it back in a reasonable time, and it's not like the Doctor seemed concerned as she rattled off tidbits, raved about how perfectly safe it was and how the natives are lovely.

Which means when they all entered the TARDIS, expecting to spot Graham was hanging on in the console room trying to hide the fact that he stole a custard cream, not there, that gave them a moment to stop and assess the situation.

"Maybe he's still out," Ryan suggests, hands in his pockets. "Might've got talking to some of the locals here."

"Mhm," The Doctor mumbles, frowning for a moment before making her way towards the console. "The TARDIS can find him."

"You said she could," Yaz repeats from earlier. "How does it work?"

The Doctor presses a few buttons and switches a couple of levers as she makes her away around the console. "Sorta like what I did with your Nani's watch, but this is personal because the TARDIS knows you."

"And that means?"

"It's easier," The Doctor replies, eyes flicking to Ryan. "She can pinpoint you with-" She cuts herself off, brows knitting together and cutting a crevice into her forehead. "That can't be right."

"What?" Ryan and Yaz say at the same time, feet taking them over to the screens.

"He couldn't get there in the time since we've last seen him," The Doctor continues. "It's impossible, and she's showing the signal of two more humans with him."

"Where is he, Doctor?" Ryan asks suddenly and with concern.

"The outskirts of the city," The Doctor answers. Her eyes narrow and she rushes around to the other side of the console. "I'm trying again-" She glances upwards. "Come on, old girl, find him for me."

The TARDIS wheezes, engines whirling and rocking.

"Doctor?"

"I'm taking us to where she thinks he is,"

"And that's the outskirts of the city?"

"Yeah."

Ryan grips onto the console. "Could he have walked there?"

"No, it's too far," The Doctor responds, hands flying across the console. "He's been gone for-" She trails away, mind trying to place how long he might've been gone for. "-can't have been longer than two hours."

Yaz shares a glance with Ryan. "Is he in danger?"

"What?"

"Danger, Doctor," Yaz says again. "Graham wouldn't have gone that far without at least contacting one of us-"

The TARDIS lands with a shudder and the Doctor looks up to Yaz. "I don't know," She frowns and holds her hand out. "Give me your phone, Yaz, I'll ring him-" Yaz nods and quickly hands it over. She wastes no time in dialling Graham's number, pleading that he answers it and feeling dread when it rings out to his voicemail.

"Doctor?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," She murmurs. "Probably."

"Doctor-" Ryan starts, voice trembling with concern.

The Doctor briskly walks from the console. "Come on," She calls out over her shoulder before facing forward and hiding the worry on her face from them.

Ryan rushes after her with Yaz on his heels. "Where could he be?" Ryan asks. He eyes the building in front of them, rundown with smashed windows. "Please tell me he's not in there-"

"I don't know, Ryan," The Doctor replies, feet already taking her towards the building. "But I intend to find out-" She says, pushing the doors open and looking into the ruined building.

There's a stale smell in the air and a coating of dust on tables. Weirdly the entrance isn't covered in it, the dust and dirt swept to the side from clear footprints, footprints that lead further into the building. The Doctor's hearts beat like a drum in her chest. Ryan and Yaz are silent behind her, following without question as she leads them further into the building.

Lights flicker, silhouetting them in brief flashes. Blood pumps loudly in her ears when they hear muted, but urgent voices ahead of them. Two if she had to guess. She glances behind, a finger pressed against her lip while her other hand gestures for her younger friends to stay back.

Ryan and Yaz don't look pleased, but they follow her order and stay back as she edges forward, feet shuffling against the worn floor. She presses an ear up to the door, brows knitting together and then expression shifting to annoyance when she still can't make out what they're saying.

The Doctor steps back, inhaling and staring at the door. She's pretty sure it's just two people in there judging by the tones of their muffled voices and the fact that she only picked up the two of them in the TARDIS. She could surprise them, but it's risky, and she still doesn't know where Graham exactly is.

Or what he's doing here in the first place.

But she can't wait, and she moves forward, leg kicking against the door and sending it inward as she rushes in.

"Oh, crap-" 

She here's Yaz shout from behind and then feet heading her way, but she doesn't focus on them, not when she reaches a hand out and presses her finger against a man's throat, a man she hasn't seen in decades as she locks her eyes on his face. Older now, the dark hair greying. "You!" Her eyes widen. "I watched you die."

The man is frozen in place, eyes locked on her face and jaw clenched tight. He couldn't move if he wanted to, not when she's got him locked in place.

"General-"

"I wouldn't, mate," Ryan says. "You're outnumbered."

The man who spoke backs down, eyes flicking across them all. "Who are you?"

The Doctor switches her focus to the other man observing them. Her head tilts to the side before flicking back to the general. "You lost all of your crew." She says, giving him a once over and deciding that he's unarmed. She removes her finger, finally releasing him from her hold. "I watched them die pointlessly, I gave you and them a chance, but you refused to take it."

The general looks at the Doctor, eyes narrowing as a sneer appears on his face. "You're the Doctor?" He asks. "You've changed in more ways than one."

"Ryan, Yaz," The Doctor says. "Meet General Combs."

Combs steps away from the Doctor, watching her and then looking to Ryan and Yaz. "Where's the dark-haired bitch?" The Doctor stiffens, hands clenching at her sides. "No matter, you're here, shame I never got to see her again."

"She's safe from you, and you're empire of ruin," The Doctor shoots back, but worry grows in her chest because she knows Combs, knows him all too well. "How did you survive the wreck?"

Combs settles himself back against a desk. "Evans here, he got to me, pulled me out and patched me up." He spits. "But then I'm stranded on this backwater world, left to rot in ruins because of you and her."

"I think you'll find that it was your own-"

"Doctor, not to interrupt here," Yaz whispers, stepping forward towards her. "But you know why we're here."

"Oh?" Combs says, smiling. "Why are you here?"

"I think you know-"

"Do I?" He asks, flexing his hand and wrist. "Why don't you tell me why I'm meant to know why you're here?"

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Don't play games with me, Combs," The Doctor snaps, face twisting into a snarl. "You abducted him."

"Oh, him," Combs says. "You know, it really was a shame that I never got to see Clara again," He murmurs while looking at his fingers. "Because he just, well," He shrugs. "He didn't know who she was."

The colour bleeds from the Doctor's face, her stomach twisting in knots. "No-"

"What have you done to Graham?" Ryan yells, pushing past the Doctor and squaring up to Combs. "Where is he?"

Combs stands and matches Ryan's gaze. "He pleaded for his Doc," He glances back towards her. "That's what he called you when he begged for you to rescue him, right until the end."

"General-"

"Shut it, Evans-" Combs snaps, eyes darting to him. There's a quick shake of his head, an unspoken conversation between them before he turns back to the Doctor. "He was innocent in everything, Doctor, but if I couldn't get to Clara, then I could get to him, hurt him like I wanted to hurt her and you." He stares directly at the Doctor's paled face. "Like you took everything from me, wanted to make you feel the same pain when I took something from you."

"What have you done, Combs?" The Doctor asks, voice deathly quiet and dangerous. "Where is Graham?"

Combs settles himself back against the desk, a man not bothered about his own safety now, years gone by living in sordid condition with just anger and hate driving you does that. "Probably making friends with the local wildlife right about now."

"Doctor-" Ryan says, head snapping to her. "What is he talking about?"

The Doctor doesn't reply, sickness rising with every second that passes. Graham can't be- no, he can't be, she can't lose someone else under her care, not again.

"Doctor!"

"Do you not get it, boy?" Combs smiles, all teeth and suppressed rage finally coming through after years of it building. "He's dead," He focuses onto the Doctor. "And it's because of her and what she did to my crew and me." He shrugs once again. "An eye for an eye, and now she can feel the pain I felt when everyone I cared for died at her hands."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Graham isn't dead, but they don't know that...
> 
> And Combs is a crafty bastard who thinks fast. He wasn't going to tell Thirteen, Ryan, and Yaz that Graham did a vanishing act, no, he wanted to make her suffer.


	3. Chapter 3

Shallow breaths, anything longer pushes his diaphragm against his ribs and causes flashes of pain in his chest, but Graham knows he needs to move around. Lying still for too long doesn't help, or that's what he was told when he took a nasty tackle in football as a lad. Didn't break any ribs then, but bruised them. 

Still, he needs to move, and with a steady breath, Graham sits up, wincing when everything hurts above his waist. That bastard did a number on him, but at least he left his legs alone. Small victories he supposes. He swings his legs from Jack's bed and pushes himself up with effort. The world spins for a moment, and he leans down on the frame, waiting for it to pass before stiffly walking from the room and heading toward the hallway.

Graham glances up and down it and turns right to amble down the hallway and towards the kitchen. His right arm is clutched around his torso, face twisting in pain while his left hand is pressed against the wall for support as he walks into the kitchen. His eyes glance around the unfamiliar setting. There is a fridge and cupboards, the usual, a strange cooker that hardly looks like it's been used, and it clearly hasn't been used when Graham spots the empty food containers in the trash. So this Jack is a takeaway eater then.

But the thought about food causes his stomach to rumble in dissatisfaction at being left empty for so long. "Yeah, yeah," Graham murmurs while making his way over to the fridge. "Maybe Jack has something in here."

He pulls the door open and looks in, eyes scanning the items held within. He frowns and reaches in, pulling out something and giving it a quick sniff. "Maybe Jack doesn't have something in here." He throws it back in and hobbles over to the sink instead, turning it on and grabbing for a cup. He glances within it before shoving it under the tap and filling it.

The water is surprisingly refreshing, and he fills up the cup again, this time drinking it slower as he makes his way around the kitchen, looking in cupboards for anything that he might recognise as pain relief or food, just anything really-

"You shouldn't be up and about,"

Graham jumps and swears under his breath. He bends over slightly and holds onto his chest, willing the pain away from his sudden movement. "I thought you left." He grunts out. "No, I heard you leave."

"I did leave, needed to get some supplies if we're staying here for a while," Jack replies, walking forward and placing down a bag on the counter. "But you should be resting and in bed."

"Can't lie down with broken ribs."

"And you know that how?"

"Doesn't matter," Graham says, eyes locking onto the bag when he stands up. "Did you get ibuprofen?"

"No," Jack answers, raising his hands when he sees Graham about to open his mouth. "I got something better for you," He smirks. "Call it the perks of the twenty-fifth century-"

"Wait, the twenty-fifth?" Graham repeats. "No, no-" He shakes his head. "We weren't in the twenty-fifth, the Doc, she said it was the twenty-second, how am I here?"

Jack taps the leather device around his wrist. "Used this, brought you to a safe house of mine, which is why I needed to restock it-"

"Stop," Graham frowns, grimacing when the bruises and cuts on his face protest the movement. "You said I couldn't travel."

"I did," Jack confirms. "And you can't, but I needed to get you out of there and didn't have the time to do it safely, not when whoever did that were coming back for round two."

"Okay, that makes sense." Graham's face softens. "But why the twenty-fifth century?"

"It's where I had it last saved to." Jack shrugs. "But enough about that," He reaches for the bag. "I got stuff in here that will aid you."

"Did you get food?" Graham gestures behind and to the fridge. "Cos you got nout in there, well something, but I think it's ceased being food a long time ago now."

Jack sighs with all the dramatics of a theatre student. "You lot from the twenty-first-century are never happy, are you? I rescue you, and you moan about it," He winks and gives the bag a shake. "But yes, I got food."

"Good," Graham replies. "Cos I'm starved-" He trails off when he spots the raised eyebrow on Jack's face. "What?"

"I would've thought you-"

"Thought I what?"

"I don't know; I would've been less inclined to eat if I'm honest," Jack reveals. "Surprised you're so eager."

"You said 'I' then."

Jack shrugs again. "I've been in your shoes before, sorta, I know how much it hurts," He extends a free hand to Graham. "Now come on, back to bed, and usually that means something else coming from-"

"Don't-"

"What?"

"You don't need to finish that sentence," Graham points out. "I could see it on your face."

"Spoil-sport."

Graham's mouth twitches in a brief smile as he accepts Jack's steady hand. "Time and a place for a flirt."

"Oh?" Jack says as he leads Graham back to the bedroom and to the bed, helping the injured man into it. Jack reaches over and props Graham up with some cushions before settling himself in a chair. "You're not allergic to anything, are you?"

"No,"

"Good," Jack says as he pulls out a pack of tablets and a tub of cream. "The tablets will help with the pain, the cream-"

"Will aid with the healing."

Jack gives Graham a puzzled look. "You know what it does?"

"I had some before for a ras-" Graham pauses, deciding not to tell Jack what it was for because he'll only joke like they did. "-anyway, it healed people and a horse really fast, is that what that is?"

"It doesn't heal people really fast like the stuff you had," Jack explains. "But it encourages your body to get a move on, it's the best they had, but first the tablets," Jack pops out a couple of tablets and passes them over to Graham who takes them without hesitation. "That'll ease the pain enough for you."

Graham places his cup of water down and looks to the cream in Jack's hand and then to his chest. "Is it bad?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Graham looks up. "You don't have mirrors in here and, well, I feel like crap so I must look like crap." He gestures to his face. "I knew there was blood, felt it, so it means he broke my skin."

"You don't look the best," Jack agrees as kindly as he can. "But I can help you-" He gets up from the seat and settles himself in a kneeled position next to the bed. "-I checked on you before, when you were passed out-"

"Oh."

"I needed to figure out how injured you were and whether I needed to take you to a hospital or not."

"Why didn't you?"

Jack purses his lips, eyes flicking up to Graham's face. "Too many questions would've been asked for one thing, and you weren't in danger, you were exhausted and hurt. Sleep and rest are all you really need, plus-" He waves the tub at Graham. "-this little beauty."

"Fair enough," Graham murmurs.

Jack smiles as he opens the cream; he spreads it on his hand and then brings it up to Graham's face. "It won't sting, but it'll feel weird."

Graham nods, flinching slightly when Jack brushes his hand against a bruise, moving it across the wounds present upon his face. The process isn't long, and it leaves Graham's face feeling tingling and odd. "You weren't lying."

"Yeah, but it helps you." Jack smiles. "Now, did you want to put the cream on your ribs yourself, or do you want me to do it for you?"

"What's easier?"

Jack doesn't answer; he instead gets the cream again. "I'll do it."

Graham nods, hands undoing his shirt and eyes glancing down at the dark, purple bruises littered across his torso. "He really did a number on me, didn't he?" He mumbles, surprise and shock littering across his voice.

"I've seen worse,"

"You have?"

"Yeah," Jack murmurs as he reaches forward, cool hands touching Graham's warm skin and gently massaging the cream in. The other man winces, chest rising with a sharp intake of breath. "I'm nearly done, Graham, I know it hurts-"

"It's fine," Graham grunts out, hands clenching together.

"You can be honest, Graham," Jack says, eyes briefly connecting with Graham as his hands move over to the other side. "It's obvious."

"Did you find the Doc?" Graham asks, wishing to change the subject or to distract himself, whatever comes first.

Jack doesn't look up as he focuses on the bruises and soft skin, his hands press against Graham's ribs gently, locating the fractured ones and making sure the cream is used around them. "No."

"Suppose you wouldn't if we're in different centuries."

"I haven't looked for her yet," Jack reveals, finally pulling away and grabbing at a towel to wipe the excess cream off his hands. "You're my first priority, and well-"

"What?"

"When you can travel again I could just take you back to the twenty-first century with my Vortex manipulator."

"I guess," Graham glances at Jack's wrist. "We met a guy who had one of those, stopped him from changing history-" He frowns, face tingling. "-and the guy who partially made them before."

"Then you know how one works-"

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," Graham interjects with a slight chuckle. "I just know you can move through time with them, like the TARDIS does-" He trails off at the mention of the time ship, hands twisting together. "I-" He looks at Jack's face. "It really wasn't there when you looked?"

Jack sets his mouth in a thin line. "I didn't check-"

"You said you-"

"I know what I said, Graham," Jack interrupts. "But I didn't spend time looking for something that wasn't there." He says, staring back at Graham. "I had the signal of it, wherever the TARDIS lands it leaves a footprint, but it wasn't there when I got to you, I don't know why."

"They really did leave then."

"I never said that-" Jack interjects. "There's a lot we don't know right now, and you can't go jumping to conclusions."

"Okay, then," Graham takes in a steady breath, glad that the tablets and the cream that Jack applied have numbed his aching chest. "Explain to me why they left without me?" Jack avoids his gaze for a moment. "I thought so-"

"Maybe they looked for you-"

"Or maybe they didn't."

"The Doctor doesn't leave people be-"

Graham catches the switch in the tone of Jack's voice, the dodging of the subject and the ending of the sentence. "Were you going to end that with behind?"

Jack focuses back onto Graham's tired face. "It was a different circumstance then, Graham, yours is different, completely different."

"But she left you behind."

"He left me behind, actually." The shift in the atmosphere is palpable between them, eyes locked together. "That doesn't explain your friends though," Jack reminds. "They wouldn't leave you behind, would they?"

"I dunno," Graham replies, snappish. "Would your grandson leave you behind? Would he stop checking to see if you're-" He asks, instantly regretting it when there is a flicker across Jack's face. Hurt and pain, shadowed and shamed. "I'm sorry-"

"You didn't know," Jack says, leaning back and sighing. "Look, I don't know your Doctor, I know my Doctors, and one left me behind, the other called me _wrong_."

"Wrong? And plural?"

"Long story, maybe another time, Graham," Jack replies, voice tired now. "It was a long time ago now."

Graham looks into his lap. "Why did you rescue me? If you don't mind me asking, that is, surely it wasn't just because you realised something was wrong."

"I was hoping that I might've ran into the Doctor again, but when I found you, my plan went out the window, and I knew I had to get you out of there. It was minutes, just a matter of minutes in that cell when I made my decision." Jack answers. "You never said why you were in there, by the way."

Graham raises his head and looks back at Jack. "I don't know why," He confesses. "I was in the market, and then I was there with a hood on my head."

"They gave you no reason?"

"Oh, they gave me a reason, I just never understood why or who the hell he was asking about."

"So it wasn't about the Doctor, then?"

Graham exhales. "It was, but the guy, he was just focused on a woman named Clara, that's all he cared about, and I couldn't answer his questions because I didn't know who she was." He gestures with his hands. "Did you know her?"

Jack shakes his head. "I haven't seen the Doctor for a while; she must've been after me."

"How many people has the Doc travelled with, Jack?"

"How long have you got?" Jack shoots back, pulling a face that matches Graham's. "The Doctor might be as old as me now-"

Graham's brows knit together in confusion. "What?"

Jack smiles, it's slightly forced in Graham's opinion, but at least they're moving away from sore subjects for the pair of them. "As I said, long story, now," He brings the bag up. "You said you were hungry and I got some stuff, it's not much, but for the moment it'll do."

Graham nods. "Alright," He says as he accepts a package from Jack, glancing within it. "It's safe for humans, right?"

"No, Graham," Jack says in a deadpan voice. "I decided to buy something poisonous to you because I'm an idiot." He rolls his eyes. "Of course it's safe for humans."

"Hey," Graham retorts. "It's a valid question, alright? You might not be human-"

"Oh, I'm human, well-" He smirks and winks. "-sorta. Human enough."

"Eh?"

"Another time, now, eat," Jack says. "It's good for you; it'll get your strength up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be wondering about the timeline here, but it will be explained.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i changed the relationship in this because i'm trash for jack and graham and no matter which way i wrote this they went "lol we gay fam" and i went "cool"
> 
> and there is a reference to an episode :)
> 
> the smile is threatening
> 
> summary: thirteen, ryan, and yaz have a bad day, graham and jack look at space carrots

_"Do you not get it, boy?"_

_"He's dead,"_

Dead. De-

"No,"

"No?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me he's-" She doesn't finish the sentence. She can't. "Tell me."

"Stop, please-" Combs mocks, tone of voice mimicking Graham. "-I don't know who you're talking about, the Doc she'll-"

The Doctor's face twists, colour bleeding from her it and leaving it pale. "Where is he?"

"I already told you, Doctor," Combs answers as he looks at his hand without care. "Out in the wilds, couldn't well have a body littering the place, could I? Would smell after a-"

The Doctor feels something brush past her, shoving her to the side aggressively. Her eyes lock on Ryan as his fist rears back and lashes forward, and she can't stop him, she can't blame him.

"You fucking killed him!"

"Stop-" Yaz calls out, pushing past as well and coming towards Ryan. "Ryan, stop, you need to stop-"

"Why, Yaz?" Ryan shouts, standing back and breathing hard, fist-shaking in anger, fear, and pain. "He killed him, he- he-"

"And you're going to kill him?" Yaz demands, eyes focusing on Ryan and only him. "Don't do it, Ryan, don't be like him."

"He took-" Ryan starts, voice breaking. "How can you defend him?"

"Believe me, Ryan, I'm not-"

"I took what, boy?" Combs spits, hand wiping at his face. "Pathetic old man-" His eyes flick across them all. "-but faithful to her. I admired that in him."

"What?"

"I don't make a habit of killing my own kind," Combs continues. "Considering it's just us on this backwater world after she destroyed my ship and killed my crew, but he was too loyal to her, like you are and she isn't even human. That I can admire, even if it's wrong."

Yaz turns, and she stares at Combs. "So, you're a racist-"

"No," Combs interrupts her. "I just care for my own kind, like you all should, like he should've."

"General-" Evans begins, eyes darting between him and the Doctor, and then towards Ryan. "We didn't-" He trails off, unsure. "This wasn't the plan, General, this is, this is too much-"

Yaz looks over to the younger man, older than her and Ryan, but still youthful. "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter what happened, Yaz, they killed him, both of them and for what?" Ryan demands, stalking back and leaning against the wall, face wet with grief. "Because he knew the Doctor? Was friends with her?" The younger man snaps his head to the woman in question. "Why did they murder him, Doctor? What did you do?"

The Doctor's hands clench at her side, teeth grinding together. "I stopped them, Ryan."

"And Graham paid the price for that?" Ryan spits with venom, but his anger fades, leaving him sagged against the wall in despair. "He paid the price because you stopped them."

Yaz trained for this. She was taught how to speak to people who lost someone, but this- She can't find the words for Ryan or the Doctor because she can't find them for herself. "We need to- need to-"

"TARDIS," The Doctor says, head turning away from them. "I want you two to go back to the TARDIS, now."

"Doctor?"

"Yaz, please-"

"What are you going to do?" Yaz questions, bravely.

The Doctor knows what she wants to do. Destroy and wreck the place, end Combs like she should've done before, but she can't. She can't be that person again.

"Yes, Doctor, what are you going to do?" Combs taunts. "The pacifist who never would."

"Graham, he wouldn't-"

"I know." The Doctor murmurs, but she's tired. So, so tired of losing. "Come on."

And she turns, coattails whipping around her legs and face set in stone. A tear leaks, emotions are boiling towards the edge, threatening to topple her.

* * *

Black and blue. Chest and face littered with bruises and sores. He really is too old for this now. On the bright side, the marks on his face have lessened, they're still present, but better and that's good.

Graham looks down and runs a hand across one of the bruises on his left side, wincing at the tenderness to it, but it's healing. At least he can move around without feeling like he's going to pass out or throw up when he coughs. The cream really is doing the trick, healing it up nicely. Jack says it won't be much longer and then they can travel back to Sheffield.

Sheffield.

Graham lowers his hand from his side and stares at himself in the mirror in Jack's bathroom. His thoughts race.

Will they be back home?  
Did they go looking for him?  
Have they even been back since?

Jack did suggest that it might be better if he took him back to that world, but Graham declined it. 'Got beaten there, mate, I'd rather not do it again, thanks.' Was his response. Snappy and sarcastic, angry and hurt. Jack merely hummed at him and allowed him to work out his frustrations.

Graham closes his eyes and runs a hand down his tired face before leaning from the counter and grabbing one of Jack's shirts. He slips it on and does it up, leaving the last few buttons undone so he can breathe before he exits the bathroom.

"Took you long enough in there," Jack calls out from his living room. "What were you doing?"

Graham frowns in his direction. "Your shower is a pain in the ass."

"No, it isn't," Jack replies over a mouthful of takeaway.

"Yes, it is," Graham says with conviction. "Why does it need that many options?" He continues as he comes into the living room. "What happened to the good old fashioned hot and cold settings? Why do I need steam? I'm not broccoli."

"I can think of a few reasons why you'd need steam in there."

Graham sighs wearily at Jack before shoving his legs from the sofa and claiming the other seat with a slight groan. "I know you can and no, not going to happen, no matter how many times you mention it."

"Can't knock it till you try it," Jack winks before shoving his legs back onto the sofa and onto Graham's lap, pointedly ignoring his protests. "My flat, my sofa, my rules."

"I'm injured, and you're using me as a footrest?"

"Your legs weren't hurt-" Jack points at him with his fork. "-And they are comfy."

"Glorified footrest." He grumbles as he looks over to Jack, eyes locking onto the container. "What are you eating?"

"Dunno," Jack shrugs. "Ordered it-"

"You ordered something, and you don't even know what it is?"

"It's not like it's going to kill me," Jack says.

"Why don't you cook?"

"Why are you asking me twenty questions?"

Graham frowns and turns away to gaze at the TV, or whatever it is. It doesn't look like any TV show he'd know, well, maybe. Maybe they like watching streams of data in the future, who is he to judge. "What are you-" He trails off, realising he's about to ask another question. "Doesn't matter."

"I'm searching for something."

"Is this about the lone cyberman?"

"Surprisingly, it's not."

Graham turns back to Jack again. "What is a cyberman by the way?"

"You really don't want to know."

"That bad?"

"Depends on your definition."

"Uh," Graham racks his brain for things they went up against. "Is it a Dalek level of bad?"

"They can be," Jack lowers his fork and stares at Graham. "Just hope you never run into them, Graham O'Brien."

Graham nods because he doesn't know what else to do. Jack is playful and a shameless flirt. You don't just snog a bloke when they appear, and definitely not like that, but to hear a serious tone from him. That's something, and it's worrying. "Alright, I'll try not to."

"Good," Jack nods. He finally removes his legs from Graham's lap. "Fancy a trip out to the town? I got a few things I need to pick up."

"What?"

"It'll do you some good to get out of the flat."

"But I thought I couldn't travel-"

"No, you can't travel with this-" Jack taps his wrist. "-I didn't say you couldn't help me pick up stuff that I need."

"I ain't carrying anything."

"I never asked you to," Jack points out, getting up in a fluid motion. "And if you have a problem with the food I'm getting you then you can get your own."

"What, is there a local Tesco or something?"

"They tried to expand here, but Sainbury's beat them to it-"

"You're not bloody serious, are you?"

Jack laughs. "No, I'm not, but I had you going for a second."

"That's not fair." Jack only grins back at Graham. "I need my shoes, Jack-" Jack raises an eyebrow at Graham. "So, you want the man with the broken ribs to get up and get his shoes, and then come back and-"

"Alright," Jack interjects. "You know when I saved you I didn't expect this-" He gestures at him.

"What?"

"Sassy attitude from you," Jack explains as he collects Graham's shoes. "You hardly seemed like the type."

"The type?"

"Middle-aged bloke, neat hair, cardigan, comfortable shoes-" Jack lists off. "-and apparently, sassy. They hardly go hand in hand, do they?" He states. "Now, Cinderella, would you like me to put them on for you so you can marry prince charming and live happily ever after?"

"No, that I can manage," Graham replies, snatching them from Jack. It's a bit of a pain, propping your leg up on your knee and trying to keep your chest straight while putting shoes on, but he gets there in the end. "And thanks, by the way."

"What for?"

"You called me middle-aged."

"And a silver-fox, don't forget that," Jack smiles.

"Oh, how could I forget," Graham exhales and pulls himself up from the sofa. "Is anyone gonna comment on this-" He gestures to his face.

"Why should they?"

"I dunno," Graham mumbles. "People would stare back in Sheffield, and I'm hardly from here, am I?"

"People have better things to do than stare at a man covered in bruises here, believe me," Jack reveals as he turns around to head to the front door.

"What is that meant to mean?"

"People don't care what you have on your face, Graham, now get a move on." Graham raises an eyebrow at Jack before following after the curious man. "If you're good I might even give you some spending money-"

"Oh, wow, thanks," Graham snarks as Jack turns back and winks at him.

* * *

"Doctor-"

Keep walking, don't let them-

"Doctor!"

They can't see. You have to be reliable for them, have to be-

"Doctor!"

"What, Yaz?"

"We can't leave without-"

The Doctor stops, head lowering towards the ground. "He's-" The word still refuses to leave her mouth. To say it is to confirm it and she can't do that yet. "Please just get in the TARDIS-"

Ryan pushes through the Doctor and Yaz without saying anything.

"Yaz-"

"Doctor, please."

The Doctor exhales shakily. "Yaz, I need you to go into the TARDIS-"

"Why?"

"Don't-"

"Why do you need me to go into the TARDIS, Doctor?"

The Doctor facade slips partially before she snaps back to her stone-faced expression. "They-" She hates how her voice wobbles. "I want to tear it down-" She turns and stalks away, hiding. "Please, Yaz-"

"I can't let you do that," Yaz says, ever brave. "Graham wouldn't want you to kill for him."

"Graham is dead!" She snaps, the word finally falling from her lips in anger and rage. "He's dead, Yaz, he doesn't care what I do-" Her hand flies out towards the building. "I could go in there right now and end it, make it so they can never hurt anyone again-"

There's a pause.

"But?"

"I'm so tired, Yaz." She hates this face, too fond of expression and hard to hide emotion. "I'm tired of losing the people I care about."

Yaz wipes a hand across her eyes. "We need-" She chokes back a sob and exhales slowly. "We need to get Graham's-" She stumbles on the word, struggling. "He deserves to go back to Earth."

The Doctor's hands lower from the building, and her eyes close. She nods, subtle and hardly noticeable. "Thank you, Yaz."

And she turns towards the TARDIS, hand pushing the door open. Ryan glances towards them; face streaked wet. "Save him."

The Doctor's hearts stutter, memories of others telling her to fix something, to go back in time and save them. "Ryan-"

"You-" Ryan cuts her off. "Bring him back!"

"Ryan-"

"Bring him back, Doctor!" Ryan demands again. "Please, I can't-" His hands press against his face. "He's all I have and-" His hands drop from his face. "-and if I just- if I just turned around-"

"No, Ryan-"

"I should've looked!" He shouts, fists balling. "I should've waited for him, I knew he got distracted a lot of the time or hung back, and I left, I got bored waiting for him, and now he's dead."

Yaz feels the dread hit her, coiling around her heart and stomach. "We all should've stayed behind, Ryan, it's not your fault-"

"I'm his fucking grandson, Yaz, you're not," Ryan yells, hand jabbing into his chest. "And I couldn't wait for him!" He breathes hard, grief and anger pooling into his words. "Do you know how many times he came back for me? Picked me up if I tripped and I couldn't do the same thing for him when he needed me to?" Yaz flinches back, tears falling from her eyes as Ryan slides down a column, body hitting the floor with a thud. "Bring him back, Doctor."

The Doctor stands still, hands twitching and body shaking. "I can't, Ryan."

"Yes, you can," Ryan continues. "Go back and save him; that's what you do!"

She can't. To do so would break the laws of time because she knows Graham is dead and gone, so to cross her own time stream and save him- She can't, like she couldn't save Grace or any of the other countless people lost.

And now Ryan will hate her because she can't, and he has every right to because she hates herself. "You know I can't, Ryan."

Ryan exhales head turning to the floor. "Then what is the point of you."

* * *

"What are you doing, Graham?"

Graham frowns, glasses perched on his nose as he stares at the weird vegetables. "Looking at the produce."

"Why?"

"You wanted to come food shopping-"

"But why are you just staring at them?"

Graham sighs. "What are they?"

"Oh," Jack replies. "Sort of like a carrot, I guess."

Graham nods and grabs a few, throwing them into the basket that Jack is carrying. "You do realise that we only have to wait a week before you can travel-"

"I'm not eating takeaways for a week, Jack," Graham explains. "I got to keep a figure-" Jack snorts, and Graham glares at the other man. "Before you laugh my doctors are happy with my weight-"

"I never said anything about your weight, Graham," Jack points out. "I didn't think you cared."

"Yeah, well, shut up."

"Mature."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black, ain't it?" Graham throws back at Jack before turning and heading away from him. "They got bread in here?"

"Bread?"

"Alien world, they might not have bread." Jack shakes his head and gestures toward the aisle over. "Ta," Graham thanks. "You know you don't have to follow me around in here; I can do it by myself, probably."

"I want to."

Graham's brows furrow together. "Why?" Jack doesn't respond, and that makes Graham pause again, turning on the spot to face him. "It's a bit more than you wanting to follow me around, that much I can tell."

"Leaving you alone wouldn't be ideal, would it?" Jack explains, eyes flicking around before focusing back onto Graham. "That'll really raise your trust in me if I left you behind."

That, well, Graham didn't expect that. "You're waiting with me because you think I don't trust you?"

"No."

"Then, what is it?"

"You're adamant that the Doctor and your friends-"

"Fam," Graham interjects with sarcasm, and he's pretty sure he doesn't mean it, but it's difficult trying to hide the bitterness from his tongue.

"Look, if I left you behind while I went and got what I wanted," He gestures the bag in his other hand. "Without making you come with me to get it, you'll think the same of me when I'm doing my damndest to help you."

"You hardly know me though," Graham replies, genuinely. "You snogged me, thought I was the Doc, and then disappeared, and the next thing I know you came into a cell and dragged me out from it."

"I couldn't just leave you there."

"But you don't know me."

"I'd liked to get to know you if you opened up-"

"I open up," Graham frowns. "Open book, me."

"When I asked where you lived, you gave 'Sheffield' as an answer," Jack says. "That's a pretty big area, Graham, or did it suddenly turn into a town since I've been gone?"

"Fine, what do you want to know?"

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"No," Graham mutters.

"So, single-"

"Widowed."

"Shit," Jack purses his lips. "If I knew I wouldn't have come on to you or asked-"

"Call it even, Jack," Graham replies with a shrug. "You didn't know."

"No, I didn't," Jack agrees. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, thanks." Graham turns away. "It happened, can't change that, can you?"

"No, you can't," Jack nods, distant look appearing in his eye. "No matter how much you want to."

"You lost someone?" Graham probes, unsure whether the man beside him will answer the question.

"Long time ago now," Jack says, stiffly. "Still remember him though, I'll never forget him, promised him that much."

"Sorry about your loss," Graham offers as an olive branch.

"Look at us," Jack smirks, pushing the conversation away from something neither one wants to talk about. "In a supermarket and we're having a deep conversation over a basket filled with alien carrots."

Graham can't help the brief smile that appears on his face. "I guess," He says, eyes glancing back to Jack. "Do you want a cake?"

"What?" Jack asks in a puzzled tone. "Thought you wanted to eat healthy while staying with me."

"I said I didn't want to have takeaways every day, there is a difference, Jack." Graham reminds me with a shrug and then a wince. "Cake, on the other hand, is always welcomed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amy's choice was the episode because having a friend say "then what is the point of you" is always fun


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> people find some very interesting things out

_"Then what is the point of you."_

Echoes in the Doctor's brain, another's voice mixing with Ryan's, and she lowers her head in shame. If she could save Graham, bring him back she would, she would do anything, swap anything to get her friend back, but she can't. He's was a fixed point in time from the moment Combs revealed he killed him. She failed again, got another one dead.

She moves forward and forces herself to the console. Yaz is right, there is one thing she can do, and that is to retrieve him. Let him go back to Earth, let them mourn and let him be buried next to the other one she failed.

Her hands move slowly across the switches and layers. No point in showing off, they wouldn't care, she doesn't care. Her hair shadow's her face, hiding the tears stains from them as she searches for Graham's body.

Searching- searching- search-

"What?" The Doctor frowns, deep lines etched into her forehead. "Search again-" There's a noise of indignation from the time ship. "Do it again!"

The TARDIS protests, showing her the same readings from before.

"No, that's impossible-"

"Doctor?" Yaz says, her tone of voice making it sound like a question. "What is happening?"

The Doctor hesitates before looking up when she thinks she has her face in a neutral expression. "I can't find him."

"What?" Yaz frowns just as Ryan's head raises from the floor. "Combs said he-" She stutters, inhaling and focusing back onto the Doctor. "-he was in the wilds."

"I know what he said, but I can't find him," The Doctor replies, confusion and anxiety pooling into her response. "There would be a trace, Yaz, if he was there-"

"But Combs said-"

The Doctor shakes her head. "You don't understand," She says, frantic eyes locking onto the younger woman. "Even if an animal-" She pauses as well. "Even if something took him away, there would be a trace of him, something that the TARDIS could lock onto," The Doctor looks into the central column. "But she can't find anything of Graham, nothing at all, it's like he's gone-"

"But he is gone-"

The Doctor flinches at Ryan's tone. "No, Ryan-"

"He bloody is-"

"You don't get it!" She snaps. "He isn't here-"

"But he-"

"He was here, the TARDIS told us that much, but when I scan for him now, this is the last place he's been." The Doctor drives her point home by gesturing against the console. "He's not even on this world anymore."

"How is that possible?"

The Doctor rereads the data, processing it. "Something grabbed him-" She frowns. "Teleport? But-" Her face twists, nose scrunching upwards. "-They can't have a teleport here, none of this makes sense."

Yaz's face goes through a series of emotions, settling on puzzlement and then hope, a small glimmer, but hope nonetheless. "That Evans, Doctor-"

The Doctor flicks her eyes to Yaz. "What about him?"

"He said that something wasn't the plan-"

The Doctor's eyes narrow, hands twitching at her side and then she's rushing from the console, turning only once to face Ryan and Yaz. "Stay here."

"Doctor-"

"Stay here, Yaz," The Doctor orders. "I'm just going to have a word, that's all." She turns around again, feet pulling her out through the doors. She has questions, and she wants answers to them now.

* * *

The cooker, strange as it may be really isn't all that different to the one that Graham has back in Sheffield. It's a little bit fancier, sure, but it still makes sense to him.

Now what doesn't make sense is the weird food he's working with. None of it is from Earth, but according to Jack, it's safe. He's got the space carrots, the odd meat that is meant to taste like lamb, but he'll be the judge of that. Then there's the rest of it. All mismatched in colour, bright blue potatoes or something, green rice. Well, he'll call it rice.

"How is it coming along?"

Graham stops his stirring and glances to Jack. "I dunno."

"It was your idea to cook."

"Yeah, but I'm working with things that I haven't seen let alone tasted."

Jack hums at him as he makes his way into the kitchen and towards the cooker, frowning down at the pot. He smells it and leans back, surprised. "It smells good."

"It does?"

"Yeah," Jack smiles. "Really good actually."

Graham smirks at that, flattered by the praise. "Nice to have somebody that appreciates my cooking."

"I haven't tasted it yet; I just said it smelt nice."

"You can taste it if you want," Graham suggests, handing over the spoon. "It's basically done, I think."

Jack scoops out some of the meat, grabbing it off the spoon and trying it. "Well-"

"Good?" Graham asks, worry flaring slightly. Tasting it yourself is one thing, but giving it to someone else is another ballgame. Jack licks the reminder off his fingers, catching Graham's eye.

Jack flicks his eyes to Graham, eyebrow raising when he spots what the other man is looking at. "It was good, Graham." Graham jumps as soon as he speaks, eyes locking onto Jack's, panic present within them. Jack tilts his head to the side. "I'll look forward to getting a proper taste." He says, handing the spoon back over.

"Uh, sure-" Graham mumbles, accepting it and using it as an excuse to not look at him. "If you want you could grab some plates-" He pauses, frowning. "If you even have any in here."

"I have plates."

"I never see you use them."

"But I have them," Jack responds, and a moment later Graham hears two dishes being placed down on the side. "I don't have a kitchen table, though."

"That much I can see," Graham replies, turning briefly to glance at the other man. "Stick the rice in if you want."

"It's not rice-"

"It looks like rice."

"It's green, how the hell does it look like rice, Graham?"

"We're bickering when we could be eating," Graham points out, shoving Jack out of the way to fill the dishes.

"What is it meant to be?"

Graham looks at the meal as he deposits it into the bowls. "A curry I suppose, but probably not 'cos I don't have any spices that I'd usually use in it."

"You are a spice man?"

"Hey!" Graham frowns. "I like spice; you can't beat a well-seasoned curry, Jack, none of that shop brought crap or the stuff made by people who think salt and pepper are all they need in a kitchen."

"Someone is grumpy."

"I'm hungry," Graham moans. "I get angsty when I'm hungry, so can we eat and talk while it's still hot?"

"Okay," Jack nods, picking up a bowl. "Well, I'm sure this is good even if you didn't have what you wanted to put in it," He heads over to the cutlery drawer and pulls two forks out. "Here-" He holds one out for Graham to take.

"Ta," Graham nods. "Living room?" His eyes narrow. "And no treating me like a damn footrest when I'm eating."

"So, I can use you as a footrest any other time then?" Jack smirks as he leaves the kitchen. Graham watches him, a soft frown on his face before following after the other man and taking his seat from earlier. He mixes his food up, the steam from it irritating the small cuts present.

He takes a bite, savouring it and then nodding. "It's alright."

"It's better than alright, Graham," Jack says. "For a guy who didn't even know what he was cooking with, you did a fine job."

"I always was a good cook," Graham confesses, not to brag, but to make conversation and to perhaps open up a bit. "My mum and me cooked all the time, learnt mostly from her." He pauses, looking into the dish. "Not spices though, loved my mum to bits and she cooked good old fashioned English dishes, but give her a spice rack, and you'd end up with something inedible."

"Where did you learn how to use spice then?"

"An ex of mine," Graham reveals, smiling briefly, but pausing ever so slightly. "Was a chef, learnt it there."

"An ex?"

Graham looks at Jack. "Why do you look so surprised that I had an ex? I wasn't a nun."

"I don't look surprised," Jack states with a frown. "It's just that when people speak about exes, they don't usually smile into their curry."

Graham reddens and looks back into his dinner. "It was a mutual thing; there were no hard feelings between us."

"Oh?"

"We wanted different things," Graham explains over a mouthful of food. "And he worked long hours, never got to see him."

"He?" Jack says with interest. "So, I was right."

"What about?"

"Well," Jack shrugs. "Back when I kissed you, you're reaction wasn't that of a-"

"What about it?" Graham interrupts.

"You asked if we met before," Jack points out. "Now, I thought you were the Doctor-" He stops, spotting the dark look on Graham's face at the mention of her name. "Anyway, you weren't bothered, I even felt your hand reaching for my coat-"

"You took me by surprise," Graham splutters, face red. "And I wasn't reaching for your coat, I was shocked," Graham shuffles in his seat, he's been put on the spot and without words to say that doesn't land him in an awkward position, well, a bigger awkward position than he already is.

"Yeah, alright, sorry for that, I got carried away."

Graham shrugs. "It's fine, really."

"Is it?"

Graham stops, brows creasing together. "You gotta be a bit more-" He waves his hand through the air. "-clear with that, 'cos that could mean anything, couldn't it?"

"The kiss."

Graham snaps his head to Jack, eyes narrowing. "Oh, yeah, that, not bothered, kissed blokes before, Jack, you weren't my first." His eyes drift to his bowl again, fingers tapping against it. "Uh, tell me something, Jack, nothing bad, but on the subject of that kiss."

"Yeah?"

"You wanted me to be open with you," Graham recalls. He turns and looks to Jack again, spotting the other man keenly watching him. "Why don't you be open with me for a second, not much, but I want to ask you something 'cos I'll admit it's been playing on the old noggin."

Jack lowers the bowl and leans back into the sofa, head inclining. "Go on, ask away, this will be interesting."

"You and the Doc, you know, back when you kissed me, it was like you were, well-" Graham mumbles. He drops the bowl into his lap and awkwardly puts his fists together a few times. "Uh-"

Jack watches Graham with a bemused expression, mouth creasing at the corner. "Just ask me what you want to know, Graham."

"Did you and her or whoever she was then, you know," Graham flounders around the subject. "Oh, it doesn't matter."

"No."

"No?"

"Yeah," Jack shrugs, picking the bowl up again. "He never looked at me that way, mine is an unrequited crush, but if given the chance, I wouldn't say no-"

"So, you never?"

Jack shakes his head. "No," His brows knit together. "Why are you asking?"

"No, reason," Graham mutters.

"Graham," Jack says, scowling when the older man refuses to answer. He leans over and shoves him.

Graham winces and glares at Jack. "Why'd you do that for? You're like a bleeding cat, hell I knew one like you, always wanting attention."

"You ignored me." Jack states matter of factly. "But now that I have your attention, why don't you answer one of mine?"

"A question for a question?" Graham suggests, and Jack nods. "Okay then, shoot." He places the bowl down and faces, Jack. "Ask away, as you so aptly put it before."

"Why did you want to know if me and the Doctor ever-" Jack scrunches his face. "-danced?"

Graham sighs. "The kiss felt personal, and that caught me off guard 'cos I thought that you and her, or him then, I guess, were together before, but you ain't or weren't."

"I've kissed the Doctor before," Jack reveals quite suddenly. "Back when I-"

"When you what?"

Jack chews the inside of his mouth and follows Graham's actions from earlier, placing the dish down and turning to face him. "That was when he left me behind." Graham snorts, head turning from Jack and shaking. "But you don't understand why he left me behind, Graham, and how it differs from you."

"Explain then," Graham snaps, arms crossing against his chest. "Why is it different between the two of us? We both got left behind like yesterday's rubbish."

"It's a long story-" Jack starts, pausing once to take a breath. "-but we have time, and then maybe you'd understand why I don't think your Doctor left you behind."

* * *

The Doctor feels the doors shut behind her, locking in place and she sends a thanks to the ship. Even if Ryan and Yaz tried to leave, they can't, it's for their own safety while she gets answers.

She turns towards the building again, feet taking a step and stopping the moment she spots Evans staring at her.

"Doctor."

The Doctor stands straight, face set in a grim expression. One she reserves for Daleks, Cybermen, the Mast-

"Evans."

Evans exhales and makes his way forward, hands twitching at his side. "I'm not doing this as a kindness to you, Doctor, because I lost friends and-" His voice stutters. "-and family." His eyes flick to the TARDIS. "I'm doing it for my kind in there."

"How noble," The Doctor snarks. "Were you noble when you beat a man?"

Evan's eyes narrow at her. "That was Combs-"

"You were there."

"Yes, well, we all have our faults don't we, Doctor? You more than most."

The Doctor levels a glare at Evans, eyes narrowing. "What did you do to my friend?" She asks, stepping closer. "And I'd answer truthfully if I were you because he's nowhere on this planet. I would find him, and I haven't."

"We located the signal of your ship and traced it to the square," Evans explains. "We dressed in rags because we have to else they would recognise us-"

"Oh, that's a shame."

Evans flicks his eyes to the Doctor. "We found your friend. Combs thought he was you; he matched your description, so we knocked him out and took him back here."

"Where you beat an innocent man?"

"That was Combs' idea, not mine-"

"But you didn't stop him."

"He wasn't going to kill him," Evans reveals. "Combs is many things, smart and a tactician, but he doesn't murder his own kind, Doctor."

"No, he just beats them instead-"

"I'm trying to help you, Doctor, well, you know." He nods his head towards the TARDIS. "Them."

"Fine," The Doctor says, hands forming fists to stop them from fidgeting. "Go on."

"Your friend fell unconscious, and Combs ordered me to take him to a cell," Evans continues. "I did."

"Then what?"

"Combs wanted me to fetch him again," He pauses. "He was going to send you a message, showing you what he did, but-"

"But?"

"Your friend was gone when I went back for him."

"Gone?"

Evans gestures with his arms. "He didn't escape; he couldn't have in the state that he was in-" He glances behind himself before turning to face the Doctor again. "-I went to inform Combs, it was what we were discussing when you barged in-"

The Doctor steps back, face turning from anger and switching to confusion. "So, he isn't dead?"

"He was alive the last time I saw him, Doctor," Evans says, dropping the bombshell onto her. "Combs thought fast, wanted to hurt you and he'd knew you'd fall for it-"

"He isn't dead." The Doctor murmurs, eyes widening slightly. "He isn't-" She turns on her heel and marches back to the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" The Doctor stops at the door and faces Evans again. "What will you do to us?"

"I once told a friend to be the better man," The Doctor says. "And I will be the better man this time in honour to him." She hesitates before turning back to the door. "But they won't be."

"What?"

"Before I go," She says, hair hiding her features once again. "I'll leave a message and coordinates for the people of this planet. I think they'll really want to catch up with you two."

"You'll sign our death warrants."

The Doctor stares at the doors. "I gave you a chance once." She pushes on the doors. "And you blew it long ago."

* * *

"Bullshit."

Jack startles at the language from Graham. "What?"

"You-" Graham points at Jack. "-expect me to believe that you died fighting Daleks only for a friend of the Doctor's to bring you back to life, permanently, meaning you can't bleeding die and that's the reason that you got left behind because the Doctor looks at you like you're wrong or something?" He stares at Jack, incredulous, breath coming fast from the rushed sentence. "Pull the other one, mate, 'cos I wasn't born yesterday."

"It's true!"

"No, it ain't," Graham replies. "That's the biggest load of tripe I've heard since, well, since the last load of tripe, probably something from the Doc's mouth."

"I could prove it to you," Jack says, nonchalantly. "But I'd rather not."

"I asked you to be honest-"

"I was being honest, Graham," Jack affirms. "I'm being honest Jack here."

Graham narrows his eyes at Jack, flicking them across the other man's face and seeing serenity there. "You ain't taking the bloody piss, are you?"

"I'm a fact, baby," Jack smirks. "Fixed point in time."

Graham swears under his breath before snorting. "Okay, fine, I'll give ya that."

"What?"

"Yours and mine are not the same."

"Do you still think they left you behind then?"

Graham shrugs, eyes downcast. "I dunno, mate, I really don't." He explains. "They've left me behind on more than one occasion, and maybe I assumed they did it again, maybe I'm bitter because I got hurt and-" Oh, great, he's going to cry. Because that's not embarrassing. "-and maybe I'm just an idiot, blaming them because it's easier."

Jack leans over, hesitating for a second before pulling Graham into a very light hug, careful not to jostle the healing man. "Jack?"

"Shut up," Jack mumbles. "You looked like you needed a hug and I got plenty to give."

Graham knits his brows together in confusion. He's not sure what to do. Does he hug back? Sit here like a steel pole and make the motion more awkward than it already is? He reaches up and places a hand on Jack's back, making a compromise for his internal debate.

"Christ, I feel like a right tit," Graham grumbles. "I'm fifty-bloody-nine, and I'm crying over this."

"You're human," Jack says, wrapping his arms around him tighter, but still careful. "Emotions are fine to have, without them, Graham; you'd be a Cyberman-"

"That thing again."

"Yeah," Jack replies, finally letting go of Graham and looking at him. "Now be honest here, what do you actually think happened?"

Graham rubs at the wetness on his face. "Nothing malicious, probably."

"See? That's better than blaming them-"

"But I still got hurt, Jack," Graham points out. "We talk about being this family and everything, but they leave me behind, laugh if I pack food or whatever, I dunno, that kinda gets to you after a while."

"Food?"

"You travelled with the Doc, right?" Jack nods. "Then you know we hardly stop for food, so I pack mine and they poke fun at me about it."

"Have you told them that it gets to you?"

Graham frowns at Jack. "You're not my therapist."

"No, I'm not," Jack agrees. "But I'm trying to help you, Graham," He says, leaning his hand over and putting it on his shoulder. "Are you still angry at them?"

"I guess, I mean, yeah I am," Graham mumbles as he leans back into the sofa. "I'd take all the beatings, all the pain for them if it meant they wouldn't get hurt, Jack, because I know what it's like to hurt and Ryan and Yaz, they don't deserve that. Hell, they've been through enough as it is if I can lessen that burden on them, but I can't be certain if they'd do the same for me."

"You can't take everything, Graham," Jack points out. "Believe me when I say that, it's not possible to take every single thing."

"I'm meant to look after them," Graham reveals, eyes flicking to Jack as a lump grows in his throat. "I promised Grace that, promised to be there for Ryan, for them, 'cos the Doc is often great, but she's distracted as of late and what am I meant to do?"

"Distracted?" Jack repeats and stares at Graham, who shrugs in response.

"She doesn't say anything, or she snaps, says we ask too many questions, I dunno, it all went Pete Tong when that Master bloke-"

"Stop," Jack interjects. "Did you just say the Master?"

"Yeah?"

Jack blows out air, eyes widening. "I can see why she might be distant with you now."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," Jack confirms. "It's a long story."

There's a lull in the conversation as both men stare ahead, thoughts tumbling through their minds. Jack is first to recover, eyes flicking to Graham and watching him think.

"You don't have to answer, but was Grace your wife?"

Graham blinks and looks to Jack before nodding. "Yeah, she died when we first met the Doc," He explains, hands twisting in his lap. "You know, she told me to be brave without her, told me not to be scared, but I'm scared all the time for them." 

Jack's eyes turn away from Graham, clouded by grief that the younger man picks upon. "The fear is the worst, isn't it?"

"Jack?"

"I lost my team," Jack says, voice quiet and out of character for him. "One by one, I lost them, Graham, and I couldn't stop it from happening."

"They were your family?"

"Yeah," Jack smiles, eyes lighting up but filling with a sheen as well. "I only have one left, and I watch out for her, keep my eye on her husband and their daughter."

"Do you see her?"

Jack shakes his head. "Bad follows me where I go, Graham," He looks to the younger man again. "I'm not putting her through that again, not if I don't have to."

Graham nods, understanding where Graham is coming from. He goes to speak, only to pause and yawn instead.

"You're tired."

"Yeah," Graham confirms, shrugging. "Busy day and all."

"Probably should call it a night," Jack says, glancing to the clock on the wall. "You still need to focus on healing."

"Do you want your bed back?"

"Mhm?"

"Your bed, Jack," Graham says again. "I feel rough for taking it from you, and I'm not too bad now, do you want it back? You can have it if you want."

"Nah," Jack smiles. "Sofa is fine."

Graham nods as he gets up, knees protesting the activity. "Sure?"

"It's okay, Graham."

Graham chews the inside of his mouth, wondering and trying to figure out how he wants to suggest what he's about to suggest. "It's a double bed, well, probably a king-"

"Oh, it's a king, alright." Jack winks.

"I don't want to know," Graham grimaces. "No, what I'm asking, and I don't want you getting any ideas here, Jack, because you bloody well will," Graham states, finger pointing down at the other man. "Is that-" He sucks in a breath. "-did you want the other side or not?"

"Are you asking me to bed?" Graham scowls at Jack. "Alright, no jokes-" Jack says, hands rising in self-defence. "I'm alright with the sofa, Graham."

"Okay," Graham says, hands tapping a pattern against his leg. "Well, offer still stands and all, you can have it if you want."

"Yeah."

"Right, uh, I'm off to bed-" Graham flounders. "-night, Jack."

"Night, Graham."

And then he turns from the living room, face flushed red. What possessed him to ask if Jack wanted to share the bleeding bed? He'll blame it on the injuries, yeah, it was the injuries that made him invite Jack-bleeding-Harkness to bed.

Even if that wasn't his goal in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not as angsty as previous chapters :p


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is a bit in italics that contains violence, it is skippable if you want, but i wanted to give an idea of what happened
> 
> ALSO I wrote this chapter, deleted it, wrote it again, deleted it again, this is the third time I've written this chapter (i've taken a few bits from the scrapped ones) but urgh, this was a hard chapter to write.

It's only ever a light sleep that Jack gets per night, a few hours here and there; years spent working on less does that to you. Which means, when he hears it, he's brought back to the waking world pretty quickly. It's the sound of soft moans and quiet pleadings, begging and muffled names.

He rubs at his eyes and blinks around the room, bathed in the low light from the TV screen. Where is it coming from? He asks himself, puzzled for a moment before his brain kicks into gear.

Graham.

It's obvious considering they're the only two in the flat at the moment.

Jack jumps up and makes his way to what was his bedroom, head poking through the door and watching the other man writhing in his sleep, face twisted in pain, mouth moving and pleading for them to stop. Jack pushes the door open. He flicks on the light on as he walks into the room before heading over to kneel at Graham's level. He extends his hands and gently takes the other man's arms.

"Graham, come on, mate, wake up," Jack says, voice calm. He's careful not to jostle the man, shaking him awake is definitely out of the question. "You're safe."

"I don't know who-" Graham mutters, eyes screwing shut in sleep. "Stop-"

Jack removes one hand from Graham's arms and places it against his face. "It's a nightmare, buddy." He lightly taps the other man's face. "Never thought I'd have to wake you up from one, honestly."

But that does it, or at least starts it because Graham stills, breathing becoming more natural and less panicked.

"Doc?"

"Nope, still Jack,"

"Oh," Graham murmurs, eyes opening slowly and looking up at Jack. "Hey."

"What was that about?"

"Nothing," Graham replies. He turns away from Jack, struggling to roll over, so he doesn't have to look at him. "It's fine."

"Didn't sound like nothing, Graham."

"Well, it was."

"It sounded like a nightmare," Jack says. He stares at the back of Graham's head. "Have you had them previously?"

There is silence from Graham and for a split second Jack wonders if the other man has slipped into sleep again. "Graham?"

"No, Jack," Graham finally answers. "Not like that anyway."

"You've had nightmares before?"

Graham snorts, a mirthless sound coming from his mouth. "My usual nightmares are different, Jack, a lot different."

"Nightmares?" Jack repeats, surprised. He never assumed that Graham would suffer with them. "What are they about?"

"I said before that you aren't my therapist." There's a pause. "Not that I have one, mind."

Jack lowers his head and exhales, frustration building. "I'm only trying to help you, Graham, but you keep shutting me out."

Graham turns over again with a grunt and stares at Jack. "What do you want me to say, Jack? That I'm okay?"

"What happened for one thing."

"What do you mean?"

"What actually happened to you in that building?"

"You saw how I was-"

Jack nods. "I did, but I saw the aftermath, not what happened before, Graham."

"He punched me, Jack, what else do you want to know about it?"

"Did he do anything else to you?"

"No, not really," Graham sighs before sitting up. "Do you want to know?"

"I think it would help if you at least spoke about it."

Graham chews the inside of his mouth before exhaling and shrugging. "Fine, I'll tell you-"

\----

_He's been punched before— a fight at school with a lout who couldn't keep his mouth shut. The eighties, attacked for being who he was, that was pretty much a given. He's even threw punches, not that he's proud about that._

_But that punch, that knocked the wind out of him, keeling him over in the chair and arms clenching in the straps._

_"Where is the Doctor?"_

_Graham sucks in a breath, fear creeping up his spine. "I don't know." He splutters, eyes widening. "I honestly have no idea-"_

_"Clara?"_

_"Who?" Graham throws back. "I don't know who that is!"_

_The man sneers down at him before rearing back and throwing another punch. "It doesn't matter either way." He spits. "You're friends with the Doctor."_

_Graham winces, pain lingering in his chest, his fingers digging into his palms. "Please-" Another punch, this one aimed higher, connecting against his face and making him see stars. The ache in the side of his face is real, stinging, and he doesn't have a chance to recover when another fist comes forth, hitting lower and making him feel sick._

_"You're associated with him," The man grunts. "And that means with what he did to my people."_

_"I don't know what the Doc did-" Graham shouts, arms desperately pulling against the straps. "-but I didn't play a part in it, that much is for certain."_

_"You travel with him-" The lout says. "And that's good enough for me-"_

\----

"You can stop,"

"You wanted me to tell you-" Graham snaps. "Don't want to hear about him whacking me in the face or stomach?" He says, legs now pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them and voice quieter, muted and defeated. "He just kept hitting me, Jack. It didn't matter what I said; he hit me because he didn't care and 'cos he wanted to hurt the Doc, that was the reason behind it."

"I have half a mind to go back there-"

"And do what?" Jack's eyes flick away, but Graham catches them. "You carry a gun, noticed it back on that ship." His eyes narrow. "The Doc doesn't like guns."

"Nothing changed then." Jack murmurs before frowning and looking back at Graham. "Do you blame the Doctor for what he did to you?"

Graham doesn't answer for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I do." He says with conviction. "I wouldn't have been in that situation if it wasn't for her."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Graham states, voice shaking. "She took us to a world that she screwed up on, or something, and then left me alone there, whatever she and that woman Clara did in the past, I paid for that, Jack, how is that fair? I had no idea who he was talking about; he just kept saying her name over and over while battering me." He sighs. "And I can't get over that."

"You're still angry," Jack points out. "And bitter."

"Wouldn't you be?" Graham retorts with a frown. "I was beaten black and blue."

"Anger stops you thinking rationally, Graham," Jack says. "Anger and the feeling of betrayal don't go well together."

"So, are you saying that I'm an asshole for blaming her?"

"I didn't say that, Graham, and you know that."

"No, you didn't," Graham agrees with tiredness. "Is there no way you can just drop me back off in 2020 now?"

"Your ribs-"

"Yeah, you keep saying that, Jack," Graham interjects. "But you travelled with me in a worse state, why can't you just do it now?"

Jack stares ahead, hands twisting together. "Do you want to go back now?"

"It would give me answers to the questions I have."

"That is true, Graham, but what will you do when you get there? What are you going to say to them? And will you be willing to listen to what they have to say?"

Graham exhales, ribs twinging in protest. "I'm not gonna yell at them or anything like that."

"But you'll be distant-"

"They left me alone, Jack," Graham points out. "Alone and on a world that I didn't know, a world that did this to me." He gestures at himself. "I need to know _why_."

"So what will you do then?" Jack asks, eyes locking onto Graham. "When you see them again?"

Graham stares back, stumped. "I dunno."

"Graham-"

"I dunno, Jack, I really don't," Graham answers with honesty. "I'm not sure what I want, not anymore."

"Will you stop travelling with the Doctor?"

Graham turns his head away. "I travelled with the Doctor to escape my house. Too many memories, I couldn't bear to look at them."

"I know that feeling, Graham."

"Does it ever get easier?"

"Truthfully?" Jack asks, but his voice says it all to Graham. "You just have to keep moving forward."

"Knew you'd say something like that," Graham replies with a sigh. He looks back at Jack again. "Look at us both, left behind and forgotten by the people we care about."

"We're not forgotten, Graham."

"But we are left behind," Graham says, eyes firmly locked on Jack's face and watching him closely.

"You need to rest, Graham," Jack says, legs starting to push himself up and away.

"So do you."

Jack frowns at Graham. "What?"

"Sleeping, you ain't doing it," Graham says, gesturing to Jack's face. "I know tiredness and your face is filled with it, mate. It's the bags under your eyes."

"I don't need sleep like you do, Graham,"

"But you still need to sleep."

Jack sighs and settles himself on the bed. "Can't."

Graham frowns. "Can't or won't?"

"Too much relies on me, Graham," Jack responds. "Too many fingers in too many pies at the moment."

"Can you not take a break?"

"People like me don't get to have that luxury."

"You'll burn out then," Graham says. "Even if you said you can't die or whatever it was," He stares at Jack, eyes narrowed. "Not that I fully believe that, mind."

"Oh, it's true, Graham, I can't die."

"Mhm, sure."

"It is."

"Fine," Graham agrees for the sake of agreeing. "You'll still hit a brick wall at some point, only so much one person can deal with."

"Oh, and who's the therapist now, then?" Jack throws back at Graham along with a light shove.

"Oi," Graham complains. "Broken ribs here, mate, be careful."

"I didn't shove you that hard," Jack points out.

Graham retaliates, hand connecting against Jack and shoving him back. "We're equal now." Jack stares back, a dangerous, but a playful glint in his eyes, one that Graham spots. "Hey, I didn't mean-"

"Get some rest, Graham," Jack says after a moment, deciding against his thoughts. "And I'll take you back tomorrow, deal?"

Graham frowns at Jack. "Wait-" He reaches out and hesitates. "-what were you going to do?"

"What?"

"Back then," Graham says, making eye contact with Jack. "You had a look in your eye."

"It's not going to happen, Graham."

"What was it?" Jack doesn't reply and Graham's, brows crease together. "Jack, what were you going to do?"

Jack sighs. "I can see this going in one direction and don't get me wrong I'm not opposed by it, but you," He gestures towards Graham. "You're injured, and you feel betrayed by the people you trust." He says. "Your mental state is also something that I don't want to take advantage off, and I think I've done so already by encouraging you, or perhaps leading you on at least."

Graham looks genuinely confused by Jack's confession. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You don't?"

Graham shakes his head. "Nah, mate."

"Oh."

"You sound puzzled."

Jack blinks and stares at Graham, genuinely lost for words once in his long life. "Usually people-" He blows out air. "-well, this is new, maybe I'm getting old, and the usual charm doesn't work anymore." He frowns. "Now, that would be a shame."

"Roll the conversation back; I'm lost," Graham says with a gesture of his hands.

"You and me, Graham, you know, dancing." He says in quotation marks.

"Dancing?" Graham repeats. "I ain't gonna be dancing any time soon, mate."

Jack sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Remember when you asked if me and the Doctor ever got together?" Graham nods. "Well, it's that, but it's you and me, together, you know, _dancing_."

Graham frowns before his eyes widen comically, face turning red. "You and-" He splutters. "I thought you were just messing around! I didn't think you were serious."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I'm an old codger for one thing."

"And?"

"Well, okay, no, that's all I have."

"Eh, I'm a lot older than you are, Graham," Jack reveals with a shrug. "But as I said, I'm not opposed to the idea, but you're hurt, and you need to focus on that."

"But what if I wasn't opposed either?" Graham asks with trepidation. "In regards to that."

"Graham-"

"Jack, I'm serious," Graham says, looking directly at the other man before shuffling himself closer. "I might've said I wasn't reaching for your coat before and yeah, you took me by surprise, but you left me thinking about that kiss for a while-"

Jack pauses, stuck between a rock and a hard place, mind weighing the options. He stares Graham in the eye, searching his face. His mind travels back to their first meeting, the feel of his mouth against his, hands cupped on his face, and before he can put a stop to it, he's leaning forward. Head inches away from Graham's, breath hot on the other man's face.

"- know that that kiss was meant for the Doc, but I felt it, Jack," Graham says. "There was a lot behind it."

"Graham," Jack murmurs, already knowing how this is going to go. He brings a hand up, resting it on the back of Graham's neck before pulling him closer, mouth brushing across his in a slow kiss. Less passionate than the previous one and giving room for Graham to pull away if he changes his mind, but the other man doesn't.

Graham takes charge, his hands coming up and pulling Jack's head ever closer, turning the patient kiss into something fervent and keen, needed. He breaks the kiss, forehead pressed against Jack's, clear blue eyes locked on Jack's icy ones. "Paid you back now, eh?"

"Did you now?" Jack breathes, mouth twitching into a smirk before he pushes himself forward and takes back control. He's careful and gentle. "Because we're just getting started."

* * *

The Doctor doesn't speak as she enters the TARDIS. The moment the door shuts her presence switches, changes in front of Yaz and Ryan. "He's not here."

"What?"

"He was here," The Doctor continues as she makes her way around the console. "That much is true, but the moment we landed, he was gone." She stomps around, frustration in every step. "We missed him by a matter of minutes."

Ryan frowns, arms unfolding from his chest. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Evans,"

"What about him?"

The Doctor glances to Yaz. "I spoke to him, and he answered my questions." She reaches across the console, hitting a switch. "I have to send a message to the council here before we do anything else-"

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter about that," The Doctor mumbles. She focuses on inputting the data and compiling it before sending it off. "We have to find Graham."

"Find him?" Ryan asks with hope. "Are you saying he's not dead?"

"What?" Yaz splutters.

"The last thing Evans said to me was that he was alive when he saw him last, when they threw him into a cell." The Doctor reveals. "The cell was something that he wouldn't have been able to escape from, and when Evans went back to get him, he was gone."

"And you can trust a man who hurt him?" Yaz says. "There isn't a way that they could've mislead you?"

"It's impossible, Yaz, they don't have the means to make someone vanish like that. We're talking moving someone from one place to another, if Combs and Evans had that, would they still be here?" There is a definite pause in the TARDIS as they all think it over. "Yeah, I thought so."

"So, where is he then?" Ryan questions with force after a moment. "If he's not here."

"That's what I need to figure out."

"How are you going to do that?"

The Doctor frowns into the console, hand pressed against her chin in thought. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Ryan, I need time to figure it out!"

"Wait," Yaz interjects, hand coming up and stopping the conversation. "Can't you do what you did for my Nani? When you used Prem's watch?"

Ryan looks over to the Doctor with hope. "Can you?"

The Doctor chews the inside of her mouth, considering the idea. "If I had something of his, then yes, in theory, I could track him like that, but-" She says looking at the pair of them. "He could be anywhere, Yaz, when I used the watch for your Nani I had a time and a date to go on." She gestures to the console. "I have neither here."

"But it's a start, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's a start."

"So you just need something of his then, that should be easy in the TARDIS, right?"

The Doctor shakes her head. "It has to be something personal to him, Yaz; it has to have meaning like your Nani's watch did."

Ryan's eyes narrow in thought before widening suddenly. "I have it-" He shouts, turning and rushing from the console room. Yaz and the Doctor wait with bated breath for the young lad to return, frowning when they see that he has Graham's red jacket in his hand. "You can use this."

"I said it had to have meaning, Ryan."

"Not the jacket," Ryan interrupts, hands fumbling at the collar. "This, Doctor." He says, handing over the worn badge. "It's his West Ham badge."

The Doctor accepts the badge, keen eyes looking down at it. "What does it mean to him, Ryan?"

"I'm not sure because I never asked," Ryan answers with honesty. "But he treasures it 'cos I see him cleaning it and taking it off before he washes the jacket."

"Do you think you can track him with it, Doctor?" Yaz asks.

The Doctor's eyes narrow and she slots it into the same spot that held Prem's watch. "Probably," She replies. "The TARDIS knows him as well, so she should be able to."

"Should?"

"It'll take time-"

"How long?!" Ryan demands.

"I have to hunt for him through time and space, Ryan," The Doctor snaps. "It'll take time to track him down because I don't have a time or place. I have to do the equivalent of a galactic Google search, do you know how long that will take?"

"So what do we do in the meantime?" Ryan throws back at her. "Sit around while he's in trouble?"

"We're in a Time Machine-"

"You missed him by a minute," Ryan cuts her off. "What saying that you won't miss him again?"

The Doctor stares at Ryan. "I won't."

Yaz, sensing the tensed atmosphere, steps between them. "I think for the time being that it might be wise to head back to Sheffield," Both Ryan and the Doctor turn to look at her. "We need to regroup and figure this out and what we're going to do because at the moment we're working on emotion rather than thought."

"Yaz is right," The Doctor says with a nod, using the statement as an excuse to turn away. "Sheffield first."

"And then we go and get him once you find him?"

The Doctor nods again, eyes refusing to meet Ryan's as she slams down the lever, sending them hurtling through the vortex and back towards Sheffield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is staying T rated


	7. Chapter 7

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Like raindrops on your face.

But far more annoying and Graham finds himself frowning awake, eyes squinting open and looking up at a grinning and very shirtless Jack Harkness poking him. He glares at him. "You know how I said you were like a cat, Jack."

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure you are a cat," Graham grumbles, batting Jack's hand away from his face. "Why are you poking me?"

"You weren't waking up," Jack shrugs.

"So you poked me awake?"

"Yeah," He grins. "Wanted to know if you wanted a tea?"

"A tea?" Graham repeats.

"It's hot water and a-"

"I know what a damn tea is, Jack, I'm just wondering why you never offered to make me one before," Graham interrupts as he sits up. "I'd love one though, ta, milk and leave the sugar."

"One tea coming up then," Jack says as he turns and heads out from the room. "It's not the milk you know, though."

"I'd be surprised if it was," Graham yells as he shuffles the pillows up and leans back against the headrest, so he's comfy. He glances down to his chest, grimacing at the fading bruises. He presses a hand against a particularly nasty one on his right side, sucking in a breath when it stings. If he knew he was really going to feel it in the morning, then he might've passed on the night.

"Poking it won't make it heal."

Graham glances up at Jack, a sour look on his face. "You were happy to poke me in the face when it's healing."

"I was poking you on the forehead," Jack points out as he walks in. "Your forehead is fine."

"True," Graham agrees, accepting the tea from Jack as soon as he hands it over. "Cheers for this."

"Not sure if you'll like it," Jack says. He makes his way around the other side of the bed and gets in. "It's not exactly from Earth."

"Neither was the meal I made you."

"No," Jack shrugs. "But it reminded me of Earth."

Graham sips at the tea. It's not what he'd usually go for, but it'll do. He looks over to Jack. "I never asked where you were from, by the way, 'cos you have that World War Two coat and you look human-" 

"Do I now?" Jack grins, wolfish and smug. "Many species look human, Graham, but when you get down to the basics, the nitty-gritty we're-"

Graham reddens. "Let's just stick with you looking human because I'm not sure I'm ready to think about that quite yet." He says. "Aliens are something that I'd never thought I, well, you know."

Jack laughs and shakes his head. "You weren't like that last night-"

"Alright, that's fair," Graham says with a chuckle.

"I'm not from Earth, Graham, if that answers your question," Jack says. "And I'm human, or I was, it's a bit up in the air now."

"Never thought I'd spend a night with a bloke that ain't from Earth even if he's sorta human."

"First time for anything," Jack says, patting Graham on the arm. "Wouldn't mind making that another night together," He gestures to Graham's chest. "Without the ribs though, they really hindered it."

Graham winces. "Yeah, probably wasn't the brightest idea."

"No," Jack nods as he takes a gulp of his tea, lips slapping together in a satisfying noise. "So, you still want to head back today?"

Graham rests his head against the headrest and stares ahead as he drinks. "Probably for the best."

"We can go whenever you want, but it'll hurt, it's not like travelling in the TARDIS, Graham."

"Oh, like that's a smooth ride-"

"This is different, Graham," Jack warns, his tone serious. "This will probably knock you on your ass." He states. "It's gonna hurt you."

"That bad?"

"Eh," Jack shrugs before swallowing the rest of his tea and getting up. "Come on, Graham, get up." Graham frowns, drinking the remainder of his tea and getting up with less enthusiasm than Jack.

"Why'd you get me up for?"

"Do you want to know what that steam setting does on the shower or not?"

"No?"

"Graham, live a little."

Graham sighs. "Now?"

"Why not?"

"I just thought-" Graham furrows his brows together. "We'd go slower or something."

"It's just a shower, Graham, we're not doing anything else," Jack points out. "And you'll realise why it needs a steam setting; I'll convert you to it."

Graham stares at the hand extended out to him. "Okay," He says after considering it. "It better be good after having you go on and on about it."

"It is, believe me, Graham, you'll miss it when you're back in your own time period."

* * *

Landing back in Sheffield proved easy for once, and they got back within a reasonable timeframe as well.

Only twenty minutes passed.

But for Earth, when it was hours for them. It was antagonising. A mixed bag of emotions that'll continue to grow and won't stop until they get Graham, wherever he is, back.

"Where did we land, Doctor?"

"Graham's living room-" The Doctor answers without looking up. "It's the best place."

"How long do you think it will take?"

The Doctor leans away from the console and heads over to the badge. "The TARDIS will focus on his badge, but she'll also use his house-"

"That's why you landed here."

The Doctor nods. "It's the biggest area where his signal, you could say, is located."

Ryan takes a breath. "Is there anything else you need?" He asks, voice partially returning to his usual tone.

"Shouldn't do, Ryan," The Doctor replies.

Ryan's hand twitch at his side, feet shuffling. "I shouldn't have said what I said, Doctor."

"No harm was-"

"No," Ryan interjects. "I yelled at you when I thought he was dead."

Yaz watches him. "It was a stressful situation, Ryan-"

"I stilled yelled at a mate when it should've been me looking out for him, Yaz," Ryan explains. "I left him alone in Gloucester, and he was lucky that he was taken by a guy who was a friend of the Doctor, but this time it wasn't that, was it?"

"We'll get him back."

Ryan nods. "We will," He pauses, eyes flicking over the Doctor and Yaz. "What are we going to do when we get him?"

The Doctor steps away from the console and approaches Ryan. "I'll treat him-"

"The injuries."

The Doctor nods. "I have stuff that'll sort him out."

"He's not going to be happy, Doctor," Ryan says with conviction. "He really isn't."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Ryan." The Doctor offers. "In the meantime, we should prepare the medical bay for him-"

"Do you think it'll be that bad, Doctor?" Yaz questions with dread.

"I don't know, but it doesn't hurt to be ready for him."

"Yeah, I suppose."

* * *

"I give it to you, Jack," Graham says as he wraps the towel around his waist. "The steam does help."

"Told ya," Jack smirks, eyes flicking over to Graham. "How are the ribs now?"

Graham glances to Jack as he finishes securing the towel. "Still feel like crap, but they're better, I'll give it that."

"We can put more of that cream on," Jack suggests as he makes his way over to the other man. He keeps his eyes locked onto his chest. "The bruising has gone down, so that's good."

"Still black and blue though,"

Jack sighs. He moves his hands to Graham's sides and runs them down, careful not to apply any pressure. "At least you have a two week period of recovery rather than a six." He says, removing his hands from Graham's chest and bringing them up to his face instead. "And the marks on your face are hardly noticeable now-"

"No scars then?" Graham snarks. "Shame, people dig them-"

Jack laughs before leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss on Graham's mouth. "Can't stay here all day as much as I'd like to." He says as he steps away. "Do you want to put it on?"

"You go ahead; you'll get it done faster than I would."

Jack nods, and he proceeds forward, repeating the process from the other day, moving quickly to cause the least amount of discomfort to Graham. Once done, he steps away and rinses his hand in the sink. "There should be a shirt in the wardrobe for you."

"Is it blue?"

"What?"

Graham stares at Jack, a smile on his face. "All of your shirts are a shade of blue, Jack, I've noticed that because I've had to wear them."

"I like blue."

"I'm not saying you don't; I'm saying all of your shirts are the colour blue, do you not get bored?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No," Graham smirks. "It goes with your eyes, I guess." He says as he leaves the bathroom to make his way back to the bedroom again. He rifles through Jack's wardrobe, grabbing one of the many blue shirts and a pair of trousers.

He has most of it on by the time Jack swans back into the room. "I look like you."

"It's a good look." Jack protests with mock offence. "And it looks good on you."

Graham flushes red as he finishes getting changed, eyes flicking over to Jack every now and then and watching the other man. "I'm not sure how I'm going to explain this to them."

"What?"

"Me and you, how you got me and stuff."

Jack stops, trousers half clasped. "So you're planning on talking to them, then?"

"I guess," Graham says after a second of thought. "I was honest when I said I wasn't gonna yell at them, Jack, but I ain't gonna be nice about it, gonna make them know that they cocked up."

"That's better than yelling."

"It's a compromise."

"You don't have to tell them about what we did together, Graham, by the way."

Graham considers it. "Wouldn't they find out at some point anyway?" He asks.

"They don't have to know, Graham, is all I'm saying," Jack points out making eye contact before turning back to his trousers and doing them up. He turns and grabs at a shirt next. "If we can keep this between us for the moment it'll be for the best."

"And to be fair, I've got other stuff that I want to say before telling them that."

"That too."

"What will you do?"

"What do you mean?"

Graham gestures with his arms. "You said you had too many fingers in too many pies-"

"I did."

"So, will you come back here after you're done with me?"

Jack frowns and stares at Graham. "I'm not going to be done with you."

"Realistically," Graham says, hesitant to touch the subject. "We've known each other for a week, if that, I'd understand if this was just something on the side for you."

"I like you, Graham, and-" He glances down, focusing on the last few buttons. "-I gave it some thought, you know, about what you said about burning out."

"You did?"

Jack inclines his head to the side. "Yeah," He shrugs. "There are things that can wait, and-" He gestures to the Vortex Manipulator as he attaches it to his wrist. "I have a time machine; I can come and go whenever I want."

"What are you saying?"

"That I'll stick around, Graham," Jack reveals. "I think it'll be for the best at the moment."

Graham is surprised. "Oh." He murmurs. "If you're staying then Ryan would find out regardless if we kept it between us," Graham explains. "I only have two rooms, and I'm not sure it'll go down that well if I'm honest."

Jack waves Graham's concern away. "I have money," He frowns. "Or I did, either way, it's covered, Graham." He glances to the other man. "I'm sure I'll be able to get a flat or something near you, you never know, Torchwood might even have a place around there-"

"Torchwood?" Graham repeats. "That C bloke, he mentioned that."

"C?" Jack says. "Stuffy guy? Never let you play with the fun stuff?"

"Sounds like him," Graham confirms. "Dead now, though."

"I missed a lot then," Jack blinks. "How?"

"The Master bloke, I think," Graham says. "I dunno, a lot went on back then," He sighs. "There was a crashing plane; we were wanted, the Master."

Jack stares at Graham, eyes widening. "You were wanted?"

"Yeah."

"The Master really needs to get a new gameplan," Jack shakes his head with mirth. "Me, the Doctor, and a cracking young doctor called Martha Jones; all got our faces plastered across the news because of him."

"I don't remember you being on the news," Graham says with a confused expression. "I'd surely know, wouldn't I?"

Jack shrugs. "Do people recognise you when you walk down the street?"

"Uh, no."

"Well, then," Jack says. "The human race forgets what they don't care about, Graham, and in my case, the details were a bit iffy." He reaches for his coat, slipping it on and completing his look. "You probably wouldn't remember."

Graham blows out air before turning and picking up his jacket and shrugging it on. "We ready?"

Jack nods as he makes his way over to Graham. "I need your hand."

"Okay," Graham extends it out to Jack, watching with a curious glint when the other man holds it. "What are you doing?"

"Fixing the date," Jack informs, eyes flicking to Graham. "You said Park Hill in Sheffield, correct?" Graham nods. "The year?"

"Uh, 2020," Graham answers. "How does this work then?"

"It hops us between spaces," Jack replies. "In layman's terms, that is."

"And it's rough?"

"Oh, yes it is," Jack responds. "We're ready to go."

Graham winces, preparing himself for it. "Do it."

Jack nods before moving his and Graham's hand onto the top of the device. "See you on the other side, Graham," He says as he pushes their hands down, making them disappear in a flash.

And then Graham gasps, hands grabbing at his chest the moment his feet hit the concrete. Stars flash in his eyes, making him double over in pain. "I understand now." He grunts out, swearing under his breath. "I really do."

"That's why I didn't want to travel with you, Graham," Jack says. He makes his way over to the other man, helping him stand. "You good?"

Graham groans, but nods. "It's getting better," He murmurs before looking around the area. "Park Hill."

"Where do you live?"

"Down there," Graham answers, his left hand pointing towards some houses in the distance. "Not far."

Jack nods. "Let's get you home then."

* * *

The Doctor, caught up in setting up whatever it is she thinks she needs stops the moment she hears the claxon. "That's impossible."

"What?"

The Doctor scrambles to her feet and runs from the medical bay and towards the console room. Ryan and Yaz follow after her. "Are you sure?" She says to the room as soon as she enters.

"Doctor, what is happening?"

The Doctor holds a hand up, her eyes rapidly moving over the date rushing across the screens. "He's back."

Yaz stares at Ryan before facing the Doctor again. "You're talking about Graham."

The Doctor nods in confirmation. "It's impossible though," She rambles. "But it's true; he's back."

"How is he back?"

"The TARDIS picked up a tear in space-time," The Doctor explains, voice moving a mile a minute. "She locked onto it and picked up the signals-"

"Signals?" Yaz repeats. "As in two?"

The Doctor nods once again. "They're coming this way-"

"And you're sure it's Graham?"

"That's what I've been scanning for, Ryan," The Doctor informs. "The moment the TARDIS picked it up, she told us, believe me, she's as puzzled as I am."

"But that means-" Ryan cuts himself off as he sprints from the TARDIS.

"Ryan!" Yaz calls out after him. "We need to follow him-"

The Doctor doesn't wait as she too dashes out of the TARDIS, following in Ryan's footsteps to the front door and out of it. She spots Ryan stood at the edge of the front garden.

"What way is it coming from, Doctor?" He asks.

"The Park Hill side-" The Doctor answers. "It should be coming-" She trails off, her eyes catching sight of a man a few hours ago she thought dead. "Graha-" And of a man that she hasn't seen in years. "Jack?"

"Grandad!" Ryan yells.

Graham freezes the moment Ryan yells his name, arm clenching around Jack's torso. "Ryan."

The younger man rushes forward, intent on grabbing Graham into a hug and stopping when Jack holds an arm out. "Not the best idea at the moment, mate," He says. "He's got broken ribs, the last thing he wants is to be grabbed."

"What?" Ryan splutters, taken about for a second. "Gramps?"

Graham aims his eyes to the floor, hands clenching.

Jack flicks his eyes over Ryan and then Yaz when she appears behind him. He turns to the last person present. "Doctor?"

"Captain."

"Long time, no see," Jack says with a tired smile. "You probably have lots of questions."

"You can say that," The Doctor says. She turns her attention to Graham, noticing the drawn expression on his face. "Graham, what-"

"Jack, take me inside, please," Graham says, cutting her off. "I need to sit down before we have this conversation and I'd rather have it somewhere private."

"Do you need help?" Yaz asks, feet stepping forward.

Jack glances to her and then to Graham's face, his mouth set in a thin line and eyes hard. "I can manage."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Graham snaps. "Jack has it handled."

"Graham?" The Doctor says, stepping closer.

Graham looks up at her. "Oh, you remember me now then?"

"Graham-"

"No, Jack," Graham interjects with frustration. "You knew what I was gonna be like with them."

"What is going on?"

"It's better if we talk inside," Jack explains when it's evidently clear that Graham isn't going to speak. "A lot has happened."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;) they finally meet back up again


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> graham is an ass

"A lot has happened?" Ryan repeats. "How long have you been gone?"

"A week or so," Jack looks over to Ryan, putting what Graham has spoken about together and noting that the lad is his grandson, and strictly off-limits now. Jack is many things, but he's not that, and if he's honest with himself, he's looking for something else at the moment. And Graham might have it, or something close to it anyway. "Inside." He bends and allows Graham to place his arm over his shoulder. "Better to talk there."

The walk to Graham's house is in silence. Awkward. Uncomfortable. And tense, like a fractured windowpane waiting to shatter. It's only broken by the sound of Jack's voice as he remarks the front of Graham's house.

"Very nice. Homely and warm."

"It was Grace's," Graham murmurs to the floor. "I just moved in; she did most of it."

"It's nice, Graham," Jack says, eyes flicking to the younger man. "I like it."

Graham hums at Jack before wincing when they make their way up the stone steps and towards the open door that the Ryan, the Doctor, and Yaz forgot to shut in their haste at leaving. "Did you bring the cream with you?" Graham asks as he steps over the threshold. "Cos this is really hurting now."

"I got some in my coat, mate," Jack replies, arm pulling the other man closer, but still remaining gentle. "We can apply it later-"

"Oh?" Graham murmurs, making sure to keep his voice low. "Maybe."

"You two seem cosy-" The Doctor states with a soft frown, but the comment makes Graham shoot her a look. "What are you two talking-"

"Nothing." Graham interrupts, turning his gaze back to the floor again. "It isn't your concern, Doctor."

The emphasis on 'your' and the use of the Doctor's full name causes them to share a glance with one another. Their brows furrowed in confusion and hurt. "Graham-"

"What?" Graham replies as the front door shuts. "I got it from here, Jack, ta."

Jack nods and lets the other man go, watching him as he lowers himself into a comfy looking chair.

The Doctor steps in front of Ryan and Yaz. "You're acting-"

Graham looks up slowly, tired and annoyed blue eyes locking onto each of them. "Acting like what?"

"Like an asshole-" Ryan says, putting his foot right into it. "I mean-"

"An asshole?" Graham repeats, voice level and collected. "Oh, I wonder why?" There is a pause as Graham stares at them. "Maybe it's because I have broken ribs and a messed up face as you can see."

"Have you been treated for them?" The Doctor starts to walk towards Graham, stopping when the other man narrows his eyes at her. "Graham?"

"I don't need you looking at them."

"Graham," Jack warns with a shake of his head. "Do not go this route with them, I know what you said, but let them explain before you dismiss them completely."

Graham turns his head to Jack. "It's what they deserve," He snaps. "They left me behind, Jack, you know what that feels like, how much it hurts." He says, this time locking his gaze on the three of them again. "They always leave me behind wherever we go."

Ryan frowns, anger slipping onto his face. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You," Graham spits with fury. "You left me behind on that world while you three went off on a jolly," He says with venom. "And it ain't the first time you did it 'cos you might not realise it, but I ain't as stupid as I look. I notice these things."

"No one said you were stupid-" Yaz tries. "-Graham, we-"

"You what?" Graham cuts her off. "You rushed off and didn't even wait to see if I was with you."

Ryan glares at Graham. "You're being a twat." He snaps.

"Maybe I am one," Graham responds. "At least then I would understand why you left me behind." He gestures around the living room and then towards the TARDIS. "Did you only realise I was gone when you got back here and thought 'oh, where's whats his face, you know, the old one?' 'cos why else would you be here, instead of where we were?"

Ryan's hands clench at his side. "We thought you died you self-centered prick."

"Wait," Graham stills, eyes locking onto Ryan. "You thought I died?" He looks to Jack, searching his face before turning to the Doctor. "Why did you think I died?"

Yaz places a hand on Ryan as she steps forward. "Combs said he-" She takes in a breath. "-said he killed you."

"Graham, we didn't leave you behind." The Doctor speaks for the first time in minutes. "I wouldn't have left you behind."

Yaz nods, eyes wide. "We went back to get you."

"You went back," Graham mutters. "You went-"

"As soon as we realised-"

Graham's eyes widen, and he snaps his head to Jack. "You took me from that cell."

"I took you from there because you were unconscious," Jack explains, more for the Doctor, Ryan, and Yaz, than Graham. "I didn't know what happened and I heard someone coming back. I couldn't just leave him there, could I?"

"We tracked Graham to the building, but as soon as we entered and confronted Combs, he said that you were dead," Yaz reveals, quickly. "He said he threw you out into the wilds."

"But Evans," The Doctor grunts out at the same time her hand hits her forehead. "He said that you went missing when he went to get you again." She says, making sure to focus on Graham. "When I thought you were-" She pauses, dodging the subject. "-I used the TARDIS to search for your body, but when she came up with nothing that's when I realised something was wrong with what we were told."

"You mean-" Jack frowns, eyes darting between them all. "In the time that you tracked him, flew the TARDIS there, and landed her-" He gestures to the time ship. "I jumped in, found Graham, and got us out?"

"I said we missed him by minutes." The Doctor states. "I just didn't realise how close I was to it."

Graham leans back in his seat. "You came back for me."

"We did, Graham."

"But you still left me behind." He points out, voice lacking the anger it held. "What were you doing here?" He asks, needing to know and already figuring out that he's not going to like the answer.

"Ryan had the idea to use your West Ham badge to track you."

Graham glances to Ryan, spotting the hurt and anger on his face. His stomach hits the floor. "I never wanted you to think I was dead if I knew that then I wouldn't have been a grade a prick, as Ryan so delicately put it, back there." He sighs with a wince. "I'm sorry, I really am."

Ryan finally looks back at Graham. "You really thought we left you behind?"

Graham glances to Jack. "I woke up in Jack's flat, in pain and hurt, I didn't know what to think-"

"I tried to tell him that you wouldn't have left him behind," Jack adds on. "But those feelings, when you aren't sure, they linger and persists and are hard to shake away. He never did let the idea go."

"No, I didn't," Graham agrees as he brings his left hand up to run down his face. "God, I was an asshole and an idiot."

"I mean," Yaz starts, looking between the Doctor and Ryan. "You were hurt, Graham."

"Doesn't excuse me being a prat though," Graham continues. "I don't know what to think right now."

"It's been a hectic week for us and however long it's been for you," Jack explains. "He really shouldn't have travelled with his ribs like he did."

The Doctor glances at Jack. "I set up the medical bay on the TARDIS for him." She turns to Graham. "Did you want me to check over your injuries?"

"Uh," Graham flicks his eyes to Jack. "Jack checked them; he said they were healing."

"I think what the Doctor is saying, Graham, is that she has better equipment in there," Jack points out. "I only had my hands." He winks as he wiggles them.

"Jack-" The Doctor says, tired. "Stop it." 

Jack stares at the Doctor before looking down at Graham and back up again. "What did I do?"

"You, just you being you," The Doctor frowns. "Leave him alone."

"I wasn't doing anything, Doctor," Jack shrugs before leaning down and helping Graham back up again. "Nothing at all."

"Shut up, Jack," Graham bites out. "Just get me into the TARDIS, so the Doc can check me over 'cos I wanna lie down and not get back up again for like a week."

"Oh, at your service, your majesty," Jack responds with mock poshness and a bow. "Would one like tea brought to his room as well?"

"You know what I meant," Graham retorts as Jack helps him up and leads him to the TARDIS. "Meet you there in a bit then?" He says as they both enter the TARDIS.

Ryan watches them go, waiting until they're through the doors before turning to the Doctor and Yaz. "Do you think he's still angry?" He says, wincing. "Oh, I called him a prick."

"You did."

"You think he will latch onto that?"

"It's Graham we are talking about," Yaz points out. "I think when he found out we thought he was gone, it mellowed out his anger a bit."

The Doctor exhales, looking at both Ryan and Yaz. "We will make it up to him."

"How?"

"We'll have to figure that out, Ryan," The Doctor smiles briefly. "But first let me check him over. Jack is good and knows what he is doing, but he is right when he said I have better equipment." She walks towards the doors. "I'll head there after I switch off the tracker."

"At least that is a weight off our shoulders," Yaz states. "He's safe now."

"And back home," Ryan finishes for her. "I won't take my eye off him again."

"I think that's a standard rule we should all have," Yaz agrees. "Graham duty."

"I'll add it to the display board," The Doctor smiles before heading into the TARDIS.

* * *

"Do you think I was too harsh on them?" Graham murmurs when he's sure they can't hear. "The answer is obvious."

"Yeah, it is, Graham," Jack states. "I did warn you against being like that."

Graham sighs, pointedly ignoring the many aches in his body. "I didn't realise that they thought I was dead, even if it was just for a little bit. That idea would have hit Ryan the hardest, and I sat that being a sanctimonious prick to them."

"You aren't dead though, you're-"

"You don't understand, Jack," Graham interjects. "And I don't mean that in a nasty way, it's just-" He looks forward. "-Ryan is my grandson, but he has lost a lot for a lad of his age and for him to have been told that, that's cruel."

"His grandmother-"

"Grace, yeah," Graham supplies. "And his mum, his dad is a waste of time, although he's trying now, I guess, but it's a bit too late now 'cos he should've been there for the lad." Graham rambles, eyes still staring ahead and noticing the door to the medical bay before Jack. "It's just ahead now-"

"I figured," Jack answers. "The Doctor has decorated since the last time I was here. Changed from coral to crystal."

"She said as much, but I never asked her about it."

The door swishes open on their approach, welcoming them in. Jack scans the room, noting all the items that they might have needed. "They set up well, not that I expected less from the Doctor."

Graham glances around, but his eyes linger on the raised bed. "That's gonna be an issue." He nods towards it. "Not sure how I can get in that."

"Is it?" Jack grins. "Because I could just lift you again."

"I ain't exactly light, Jack, wouldn't want you putting out your back."

"No, and rude, and I carried you before," Jack reminds him as he steps away. "It's the quickest and easiest way."

"Fine," Graham relents with a frown. "Do not drop me; that is the last thing I need right now."

"I'm not going to drop you," Jack says, offended. He shakes his head as he wraps his arms around Graham, lifting him and quickly placing him in the bed. "There and I didn't drop you once."

"No, you didn't," Graham smiles as he reaches a hand out to Jack's, taking it in his. "I never said thanks by the way."

"You did."

"Not properly," Graham continues, lightly squeezing his hand and running his thumb across it. "But I mean it, thanks for the save, you didn't have to." 

"Worked out pretty well, in my opinion," Jack murmurs, leaning down a pressing a brief kiss to Graham's forehead. "Should've scooped you a few more times."

Graham smirks up at Jack, watching when the other man stands up again. "It did, didn't it?" He says, holding his hand tighter. "Who thought broken ribs would land me a handsome bloke?"

"Let's just say," Jack nods to Graham's ribs. "When those are better we will make up for it."

"Not sure if I should be concerned, flustered, or both at the same time," Graham replies with a raised eyebrow. "I ain't as young as-" His sentence stops as his eyes flick behind Jack. "Uh-"

"Trust me," Jack smirks. "A night with me and you'll be back in your-"

"Jack-"

"What?" Jack retorts, grinning when he catches the flushed look on Graham's fine. "I'm just being honest here when I-"

"No, I mean-" Graham nods his head towards the door, eyes comically wide. "We are not alone." He whispers, head hiding from view.

Jack turns, blinking at the Doctor, hands on her hips and staring him down. "Hey, Doctor."

"Can I not leave you alone for one minute?" The Doctor asks, stepping in. She looks at Graham. "I hope he has not been like this with you too much." She glowers at Jack. "He's persistent and too much like a Tomcat-"

Graham snorts at the mention of Jack being a Tomcat only to moan in pain from the action a moment later. Jack shoves him lightly in the arm. "Serves you right for laughing."

"Graham?"

"Nothing, Doc," Graham says, eyes flicking between the Doctor's face and Jack. "Uh, what do you think he has been doing, Doc?"

"Flirting with you," The Doctor reveals. "For one thing." Her head tilts. "Trying to get into your trousers for another-"

"Oh god," Graham murmurs, face flushing red when he remembers that that's exactly what Jack did.

"Are you okay, Graham?"

"I'm fine," Graham replies all too quickly. "It's just the mental image of-" Jack faces Graham, his shit-eating grin hidden from the Doctor. "-that."

"Yeah," The Doctor nods, missing the elephant in the room completely. "Ryan and Yaz will be along in a moment."

Jack steps away from the bed and out of the field of vision of the Doctor. "Clueless." He mouths over her head at Graham. "They have always been clueless."

Graham shakes his head before focusing on the Doctor. "What did you want to do first?"

"I just want to check you over," The Doctor answers. "See how you are healing."

"Okay," Graham nods as he leans back against the pillow. "Word of warning then, it ain't pretty."

"Broken ribs never are," The Doctor responds. "Now, let's take a look, shall we?"

"Sure," Graham responds without enthusiasm.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some hurt/comfort
> 
> but mainly comfort and a lot of it

"Fractured ribs," The Doctor confirms. "On either side, but healing nicely. You also have heavy bruising internally."

"Knew that, or more like felt that, Doc," Graham murmurs. "Can I have my shirt back now?"

"You mean my shirt," Jack states with a raised eyebrow. "The one you moaned about being blue."

"Fine, your shirt then," Graham retorts. He accepts it from Jack and bats away the other man's hands when he tries to help him put it on. "Do I have to stay here, Doc?"

"It would be better-" Graham frowns at her. "-I have stuff here that'll increase the speed at which you heal greatly, even better than the cream you have, Graham, but you have to stay here for it." She frowns at him. "Oh, don't pull that face at me, I've stared down scarier things that you Graham."

"What face?" Graham retorts in a sour tone.

"Do you want to feel better quicker?"

Graham makes a noise of annoyance before relenting and nodding. "I hate staying in here-"

"You've been in here before?" Jack asks.

"Travelling with the Doc can end in-" He trails away, eyes focusing on a spot on the far wall. "Doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry, Graham." The Doctor says. "I never wanted you to get hurt for something I did."

Graham looks back towards the Doctor, his eyes searching her face. "Who was Clara?"

"Impossible," The Doctor replies. The expression on her face is clouded. "But gone now."

"That lout hated her," Graham explains. "And you, but he disliked her more." The Doctor looks away, and Graham knows he's not going to get anything more from her. And he doesn't blame the Doctor for that judging by the look on her face. "Tell me one thing though, Doc."

"What's that?"

"You and her," Graham starts. "Whatever you did on that planet, was it to help people? Because what he was saying, the thing-"

"We saved people, Graham," The Doctor interjects with an air of defeat. "But people, humans, Graham, died in the process because they were too loyal and too stupid to realise when they lost."

"Did you kill them?"

"No," The Doctor answers with sincerity. "I gave them an ultimatum, and they turned it down, they had every opportunity to back off, but they didn't."

"Like the Dalek," Graham suggests. "We gave it the chance to stop, but it refused." The Doctor inclines her head in agreement.

"Sometimes there aren't any good decisions, mate, just stuff you have to live with," Jack adds, arms folded across his chest. "And it sucks, but that's the hand you're given."

Graham nods and then yawns. "Do what you have to do then, Doc," He murmurs. "The quicker these damn ribs are healed, the better."

"Okay, Graham."

He watches the Doctor move around the medical bay, collecting various items and grimacing when she pulls over an IV. "Do you have to use that?"

The Doctor glances at the IV. "It's the fastest method-"

"But-"

"What's wrong?" Jack asks in a caring tone. "You don't like needles?"

"No, it's not that, it's just- it reminds me of days gone by and stuff I'd rather forget if I'm honest."

"Ah," The Doctor nods. "It's nothing like that, Graham." She gives him a brief smile. "You won't feel sick after it."

"You sure?"

"Positive," The Doctor reassures. "Now give me your arm."

Jack reaches over and takes Graham's hand, noting how clammy it is. "You really don't like it?"

Graham turns his head away from the Doctor and more importantly, his arm to focus on Jack's face. "I was ill."

"And they used an IV."

Graham nods as his eyes close, wincing when he feels the pinprick. "Hate them."

Jack squeezes Graham's hand. "She's done now, and it's for the best, ain't it?"

The Doctor leans back. "Just the night with that and tomorrow you'll be fine, Graham," She explains. "It's got a mild sedative in it as well."

Graham flicks his eyes to the Doctor. "Mild?"

"Yup," She places her hand on his, mirroring Jack's move, but missing the meaning behind his entirely. "It should be taking effect right about-" She smirks as Graham's eyes close on cue. "-now. Oh, I'm good, really good."

"That's dirty," Jack says, letting go of Graham's slack hand.

"He needs to heal."

"He does."

The Doctor's face shifts, changes slightly now that Graham is sleeping. She reaches a hand out to his face, trailing it across a cut. "How was he when you found him, Jack?"

Jack glances up to the Doctor. "You don't want to know."

"I have to know, Jack," She says, looking up and making eye contact with the immortal man. "He was meant to be under my protection, and I let him get hurt for something I did in the past."

Jack sighs. "He was black and blue, Doctor, covered in blood." He looks at Graham's peaceful face. "I got him back to my flat and removed his soaked clothes to check, and it wasn't pretty."

"You didn't take him to a hospital?"

"They weren't life-threatening and turning up at a hospital with a man from the twenty-first century, I couldn't risk it, and I knew what I was doing."

The Doctor removes her hand from Graham and steps back, putting them into her pockets. "We should let him sleep." She looks up at Jack. "You asked them to tell me something. Back when you scooped them, what did you mean by it?"

"The Lone Cyberman."

"What is it?"

Jack sighs and reluctantly takes his eyes away from Graham. "One of the last remnants from the Cyberwar, Doctor, sent back to get something."

"Do you know what it is?"

Jack gestures, arms wide. "I haven't a clue."

"But it's big?"

Jack nods. "Very."

"And we're not meant to give it what it wants, no matter the cost."

Jack nods once more. "You weren't there on the front lines, Doctor."

"No, I wasn't."

"It was bad."

"Are you leaving after this?"

"What?" Jack frowns at her. "Uh, no, staying around for the foreseeable future."

The Doctor looks taken aback for a moment. "Oh."

There's a silence between them, dragging on. "You said Ryan and Yaz would be along in a moment," Jack breaks it. "Where are they?"

"It's been a chaotic few hours for us, Jack," The Doctor says. "They're in shock, but will be along to see him-" She frowns at Graham. "But maybe not right now. It's better that he sleeps without disturbance."

"Yeah."

The Doctor turns and takes a step towards the door, glancing back when Jack doesn't follow her. "Jack?" Jack snaps his head to her. "You coming?"

"In a bit."

"Is something up?"

"No," Jack says. "It's just; I cared for him for a week, call it me being attached-"

"Jack," The Doctor warns, but it lacks the chastising tone from before. "He's been through a lot."

"I'll be along," Jack says again. "I just want to make sure he's alright."

The Doctor narrows her eyes at Jack before relenting and turning away. "One minute and then I want him to have the best chance at recovering without having to do another IV."

Jack nods once, watching her as she leaves the room. The door closes behind, and he gives it a couple more seconds before he bends to Graham's level, planting a kiss on the other mans' lips. He rests his forehead against Graham's, eyes closing. "I'll see you in a bit." He murmurs as he reluctantly leans away. Jack grabs a blanket and drapes it across Graham before turning away and leaving the room, following in the footsteps of the Doctor.

But her question lingers in his mind.

"Are you leaving after this?"

Is he? Well, the answer to that is a resounding no. That's obvious, but it's the way she asked it and her response after he answered it. That's defiantly spiked his interest in the matter.

He walks the corridors of the ship, deep in thought and trusting her to lead him wherever he needs to go. And that seems to be the kitchen judging by the voices coming from it: Ryan and Yaz, but no Doctor.

Curious.

Jack enters the kitchen, eyeing up the mess. "Nice, really nice."

Ryan jumps, eyes wide. "You move silently, and I thought Graham was bad."

"Sorry, handso-" Jack cuts himself off, catching himself. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you jump." He offers, still puzzled by the state of the kitchen. "I thought the Doctor said you were shocked."

"Shocked?" Yaz wonders.

"Yeah," Jack frowns. "What are you doing?"

Yaz looks over the mess. "We were trying to make Graham something."

"I can see that."

"He likes cake-"

"I know," Jack smirks. "When he was feeling up to it we went to a shop-"

"You went shopping?"

Jack leans back against the table, quickly checking it's free of flour before doing so, mind. "He was moaning about my choice of food."

Yaz chuckles, face relaxing, but Jack can still see the worry on her face. "Sounds like Graham."

Ryan nods, eyes darting away. "I should say sorry to him."

"Why?" Jack questions.

"I called him a name that my Nan would give me a right telling off about," Ryan confesses. "I didn't mean it."

Jack shrugs. "He deserved it, though, he was being a huge prat."

Yaz frowns at that, turning back from the counter. "You two seem to be getting along."

"He's a good man, fun to chat with," Jack says with a smile. "Stubborn as an Ox though."

"How was he?"

"Mhm?"

"Back when you found him, how was he?" Ryan asks again.

Jack stares at him and shakes his head. "Graham wouldn't want me telling you."

Ryan sighs and leans back against the counter, hand running down his face. "I can't believe I left him behind-"

"We all left him behind, Ryan, we're all to blame."

"He already forgives you three," Jack reveals. "As I said, good man, but stubborn."

"You seem to know a lot about him." Yaz points out, expression curious.

"You could say that," Jack says. "What are you making anyway?"

"A cake-"

"I know that," Jack interjects with a roll of his eyes. "What type?"

"I dunno," Ryan frowns, looking back at Yaz. "It was whatever the TARDIS had, plus what was in the kitchen in the house."

"We're on Earth." Jack states. "You could've just gone and bought one."

"I suggested that," Ryan explains before gesturing to Yaz. "But she had the idea to make one."

Yaz looks over to Jack as she kneels next to the strange crystal oven. "It's the thought that counts, Ryan. He'll know we put effort into it." She says as she looks through the glass.

"You'll have to give it to him tomorrow."

Ryan glances back at Jack. "What do you mean?"

"He's resting right now," Jack explains, leaning from the table. "The Doctor has medicine that will increase the rate at which he's healing, but it's knocked him out cold."

"Oh."

Yaz looks at Ryan. "Tomorrow, Ryan, it'll be fine." She smiles and gently pats him on the arm. "And it gives us time to decorate it."

"I guess," Ryan mutters. "I guess I wanted to see him after the Doctor got done checking him over."

"He'll be fine," Jack reassures, believing it himself. "Trust me."

"Trust you?" Ryan raises an eyebrow, slight smirk on his face. "I don't even know you, and you're asking me to trust you." His tone isn't harsh.

Jack laughs and turns from the kitchen. "You'll know me soon enough, Ryan, you'll know me quite well." He says as he leaves it, grinning when he hears the confused question being thrown his way.

He'll head to his room, providing that the Doctor still has it on the ship, to freshen up. Maybe he'll locate Graham's as well after the fact because as much as he thinks the blue of his shirts suits the other man. He'll probably be comfier in clothes that fit him properly. With that plan in action, Jack continues his walk, a soft smile on his face.

\----

It's a couple of hours later when Jack is making his way back to the medical bay, a set of clothes he stole from Graham's bedroom in his hand. He tried to find the mans' room on the ship, but seeing that she didn't want to play ball with him anymore, he gave up and rifled through Graham's bedroom in his house. Careful not to touch much, however.

His eyes caught sight of the woman Graham mentioned, something he couldn't help but pick up and stare at. She looked kind and warm, and Jack can see why Graham married her, and he can also see why he still loves her.

Because he does, he can see it in Graham's eyes, recognises it because it matches his own loss. Maybe that's why they clicked so well.

It's something to think about; Jack supposes as he makes his way back into the medical bay. He looks over to Graham, frowning slightly when he sees that the man has moved and knocked the blanket off himself. "Graham, you-" He pauses when he notices the distressed look on Graham's face.

Jack exhales and makes his way forward, dropping the bundle on a side as he passes it. "Graham, mate, wake up," He says. "You're safe now." It takes a moment, but the other man eventually stirs away, frowning. "You were having a nightmare again."

Graham blinks at Jack before rubbing a hand across his eyes. "Stay."

"What?"

Graham removes his hand and looks at Jack. "Stay with me," He murmurs. "I don't care if they find us." He says, "I'm not sure I like being alone at the moment."

Jack's brows knit together. "Your previous nightmare happened when you were alone." He remembers. "You didn't have one when I stayed with you."

"I'm not needy,"

"I didn't say you were," Jack states. "I'm saying you went through something terrible, and as much as you probably want to forget about it, your subconscious won't."

"You talk like you know what I'm going through."

"I've lived a long life, Graham," Jack says, leaning back. "Lost a lot as well and dealt with similar things."

"You look younger than me," Graham states with puzzlement.

"Believe me, Graham, I'm older than you," Jack smirks as he kicks off his boots. "A lot older."

"Is this to do with the thing that you mentioned?" Graham frowns. "Where you don't die or something?"

"Yeah," Jack nods, throwing off his coat next. "Now, as much as I would like to sleep how I normally would, I think it'll be better if I don't if you catch my drift."

Graham laughs, resting his head back against the pillow. "True."

"I got you some clothes," Jack says. "Did you want to switch the shirt for something comfier?"

Graham nods, sitting up and removing the light blue shirt. "Where did you get the clothes from?"

"Your bedroom," Jack reveals as he hands over the t-shirt. "I didn't disturb anything, don't worry."

"I wasn't worrying 'bout it," Graham reassures.

"I saw Grace." Graham hesitates, eyes darting to Jack as he slips the t-shirt on. He pulls it the remainder of the way down. "She looked amazing."

"She was," Graham mumbles. "I miss her."

Jack walks forward, taking Graham's hand in his. "I miss Ianto."

Graham looks up at Jack, eyes searching his face. "Your Grace?"

Jack nods, squeezing the other man's hand. "You could say that." He says, releasing Graham's hand. "Can you shift over?"

"It'll be a tight fit," Graham points out but does as he's ordered.

Jack climbs up, careful not to knock Graham's arm with the IV. He reaches for the blanket, placing it over the top of them as he wraps his arm around Graham's torso. "That makes it better, Graham." He remarks with a wink.

"I guess," Graham murmurs, yawning when he feels the tiredness coming back. "Night, Jack."

"Night," Jack replies, settling himself against Graham. "We'll explain this in the morning to them, alright?"

"Mhm," Graham responds as he settles himself back down, eyes closing.

* * *

"Do you think he'll be awake now?" Ryan asks as he and Yaz make their way from the kitchen, cake in hand, and towards the medical bay.

"It's been hours, and it's-" She pulls out her phone and glances to the time. "-just gone ten in the morning, Graham is usually awake by now."

"Probably hangry-" Ryan smirks. "Hopefully this will cheer him up."

Yaz nods, smiling as well. "He'll love it."

"Yeah," Ryan replies. "Have you seen the Doctor since?"

"Since when?"

"Since she left him alone."

"She said she had something to fix in deeper in the TARDIS."

"And you believe her?" Ryan questions, staring at his mate with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope," Yaz declares. "But we can't push her when she vanishes; we just have to be there for her if she needs us."

"Do you think she blames herself as well?"

Yaz nods and sighs. "Probably."

"Well, hopefully once Graham is better, we'll get together and, I dunno, not put it behind us, but move on or something."

"Yeah, that'll be good," Yaz chimes, stepping forward and pressing her hand against the lock. She pushes the door open and walks in only to stop in her tracks with Ryan nearly crashing into her back.

"Yaz, what was that-" Ryan cuts himself off when he spots what stopped Yaz from proceeding forward. "What the bloody hell?"

They stand in silence watching Graham and Jack, sharing the same bed, blanket wrapped around the pair as they sleep. Jack is snuggled up against Graham, his head resting on his chest.

"Watching people sleep is weird, you know?" Comes Jack's voice, one eye cracked open and watching them.

"Uh," Ryan splutters, lost for words.

Jack's head rises. "He's out cold, by the way."

"Is he alright?" Yaz asks, snapping back to reality.

"He's fine."

"What are you doing?" Ryan asks, finding himself worried for Graham. "Does he know you're there?"

Jack smirks. "He does."

"So, why did he let you-"

Yaz exhales and grabs Ryan's attention. "I said they got along, Ryan, but it seems they really got along."

"You did, but-"

Yaz rolls her eyes. "You and Graham, then?"

"Wait, stop-" Ryan says, eyes darting between his grandad and Jack. "Are you saying you're-" He frowns, stumped.

"Together?" Jack supplies.

"I guess."

"You could say that," Jack replies. "But it's more than that as well."

Their conversation nudges the other man to wake up with a groan. "Trying to sleep and you're all having a chinwag," He mumbles, before snapping his eyes open and clicking onto the topic. He looks at Ryan and Yaz. "Oh."

"You did say yesterday that you didn't care if they found out, and I pointed out that this might happen."

Ryan glances to Yaz before looking back at Graham. "When did this happen?"

Graham focuses on Ryan. "A few days ago."

"You're happy with it?"

"How'd you mean?"

"It wasn't-" Ryan shrugs, looking uncomfortable. "-you didn't feel like you owed it or something?"

Graham frowns and quickly shakes his head. "Ryan, no, god no." He sits up, noticing for the first time it was without the usual pain associated with it. "It's mutual."

"Mutual?"

"Yeah," Graham nods. "I was going to tell you."

Yaz steps forward. "I'm happy for you, Graham," She smiles, breaking the ice. "You'll have to tell us about it." She suggests. "Jack said you went shopping together."

"Oh, yeah," Graham says, looking towards her. "He said I needed to go out for a walk and I was fed up eating a bleeding takeaway every night."

"Speaking of food," Ryan says, remembering the reason they came here in the first place. "We made you something."

Graham looks at Ryan, eyes widening when Ryan presents the cake. "You made it?"

"Yeah," Ryan says, proudly. "Got in a right mess, but we tried, even got the colours of West Ham on it."

"You're a football supporter?" Jack says.

"Love the game."

Jack groans. "Is it too late to go back to being friends or-"

Graham turns and shoots Jack a glare. "Don't slander the game, Jack."

Jack laughs, shoving Graham before slipping from the crowded bed. "Cake for breakfast then?"

"Good as time as any other," Graham smirks. "Did you bring plates?" Ryan and Yaz groan in synchronisation.

"Don't worry," Jack says, looking around the room. "There's probably something in here we can use."

"Probably," Ryan agrees, his eyes flicking to Jack and then narrowing. "I ain't calling you grandad."

Jack turns around with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Grandad, I ain't calling you it."

Graham looks at Ryan, smiling genuinely. "You're okay with me then?"

"What do you mean?"

"With my attitude yesterday, I'd understand if you were annoyed," Graham points out. "Plus with me and Jack, I know it's a lot to take in, and it might seem a bit rushed to you."

"I'm fine with it, Gramps," Ryan says. "Are you fine with it?"

"Yeah," Graham says, glancing at Jack and watching him. "I am."

Ryan smiles and steps forward. He grabs Graham in a surprise hug. "Then I'm happy for you." He says, pulling Graham closer. "Sorry for leaving you behind."

"Sorry for acting like a prick."

Ryan lets Graham go. "That's fair."

"Yeah, we're equal then," Graham nods. "Cake now?"

Ryan nods. "Yeah, cake now."

"Good, 'cos I'm starved."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter!
> 
> Also, please read the final note :)

"So, Jack, how long have you known the Doctor for?" Yaz probes with curiosity. "Graham said you knew her from before."

"Was she the white-haired Scotsman that she mentioned?" Ryan wonders.

"Uh, no," Jack glances to them, frowning. His hand absentmindedly traces patterns across Graham's. "Linear time or not?"

"Linear?" Graham suggests over a mouthful of cake. "Always a good starting point."

Jack turns and stares at Graham. "I hope you aren't going to do that in our own bed because I have strict rules regarding food-"

"Alright!" Ryan says, slapping his hands down on his knees. "I do not need to hear any talk like that; thank you very much."

Jack grins, resting his head on Graham's shoulder. "But to answer that, it's been a while," He explains. "You sorta lose track once you pass the age of five hundred-"

Ryan and Yaz blink in surprise, whereas Graham only raises an eyebrow at him. "You weren't lying when you said you were older than me then?"

Jack squeezes Graham's hand. "I know, cradle snatcher and all," He whispers, making sure only Graham can hear him before turning away and focusing back onto Ryan and Yaz. "Suffice to say we go way back me and her."

"When did you first meet her?"

Jack glances to Ryan. "He was northern like her," There is a faint smile ghosting his face. "Then another time, but he changed his face." His face shifts. "That wasn't a good time, kinda a year from hell."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Jack says, glancing to Graham. "Graham mentioned that you bumped into the Master."

"Oh, him," Ryan grunts in displeasure. "Got us stuck on a crashing plane."

"Still a bastard then," Jack points out. "What did he look like?"

"Uh, surely you'd know?"

"Time Lord, Ryan," Jack says. "Mine looked like a Prime Minister of yours-"

"What?" Graham splutters. "Oh, wait, don't say your Master was that, what's her face-" He says, clicking his fingers, trying to remember.

"Classy, Graham," Ryan snorts. "What's her face?"

"You know," He holds up his hand, motioning like he's holding something. "Always introducing herself, did it at the UN-"

"Harriet Jones?"

"Yeah!" Graham points at Jack. "That's her!" Jack's face takes another look, shadowed. "Wait, you knew her?"

Jack smiles sadly, eyes falling to his lap. "She died saving the world."

"Damn, that's a shame," Graham mumbles. "I voted for her, an outstanding woman."

"She was," Jack agrees.

"So, if your Master wasn't her, then who was he?" Graham asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you remember a man called Harold Saxon?" Ryan and Yaz have blank faces, but there's a flicker on Graham's. His brows narrow. "You might not remember, Graham-"

"It sounds familiar."

"Don't force it," Jack murmurs. "But that was him, made you all vote for him in the general election."

"I voted for the Master?"

"Don't take it too hard, Graham," Jack shrugs. "I was planning on voting for him as well."

"Well, one thing never changed," Yaz states. "He went by O when we first met him and this Harold Saxon when you met him."

"And the Master made all of us wanted by the police," Jack reveals. "He really does need a new game plan."

"So he's changed then," Ryan says. "And she's done it again now 'cos you knew her when she was different."

"Yeah," Jack nods, shifting himself up the bed. "We haven't had a proper chance to talk, what with silver-fox here being my priority."

"Did you tell her what the Lone Cyberman is?" Ryan asks, popping a spoonful of cake in his mouth as he does it.

"I told her what I knew," Jack explains as drapes an arm around Graham. "Which wasn't much if I'm honest."

"What is a Cyberman?" Yaz questions.

Jack stills, eyes taking a dark look. "I already told Graham here, but I hope none of you ever have to meet one."

Graham leans into the one-armed hug; his hand reaches for Jack's as he looks over to Ryan and Yaz. "I don't know what it is, but it's not good judging by what Jack has said about it."

"He told you?" Ryan wonders.

"Not exactly, and no more than what you two have been told."

"Oh," Ryan says, looking over to Yaz and then back again. "Whatever it is though, we'll beat it right?"

"Yeah," Yaz nods. "We stopped that Dalek."

Jack snaps out at the mention of a Dalek again. "Graham spoke about a Dalek."

"Was one on New Years," Ryan informs. "We managed to stop it."

"It hurt a lot of people though," Yaz adds onto Ryan's statement.

"Cybermen and Daleks," Jack murmurs. "Some of the worst things out there."

"We'll deal with whatever is to come though, right?"

"We're a Fam," Graham says, making eye contact with Yaz as he backs up her statement. "We stand-"

"So, this is where you all have got to?" The Doctor interrupts while swanning into the medical bay. She glances around, noting the cake in their hands. "You're having cake without me."

"We made it, Doctor," Yaz says with a smile. "Don't worry we saved you a piece," She explains, holding out a makeshift plate to the Time Lord.

The Doctor takes it and gives it a sniff, eyes narrowing.

"You eat it, Doc, you don't smell the bleeding thing."

The Doctor looks over to Graham. "You're awake."

"Uh, yeah," Graham says, eyes flicking to Jack snuggled against him. "Been up for a while now."

"That's good," The Doctor smiles as she makes her way over. "We should probably-" She pauses, looking over the scene. "What are you doing, Jack?"

"Sharing a bed?" Jack shrugs. "Kinda obvious, Doctor."

The Doctor sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Graham you can tell him to leave you alone if it's too much-"

"Why would I do that?" Graham asks with a frown.

"Because it's Jack?"

"And?"

The Doctor looks baffled. "Maybe you took a knock to your head-"

"That's rude," Jack points out. "He took no knock to the head."

The Doctor focuses on Graham again. "If you haven't taken a knock to the head, then why are you sharing a bed with Jack?"

"Uh-" Graham looks around the room, lost for words mainly. "How do I say this?"

Yaz sighs and stands up, making the Doctor look towards her. "They're together, Doctor."

"Together?" The Doctor repeats, face scrunching in thought. "Well, that's obvious they're on the same bed-"

"No, you don't get it, Doctor."

"What don't I get?"

Jack groans out loud. "This, Doctor, you don't get this-" He says, sitting up and turning to face Graham. He leans forward, hand reaching up and pulling the other man into a kiss, tongue demanding entry to Graham's mouth.

"Couldn't you just tell her?" Ryan chokes in the background while Yaz laughs, face turning away from them.

Graham, meanwhile, works on instinct, hand coming up and resting against the back of Jack's head. Mouth opening and returning the kiss, messily and frantic as it is.

Jack smirks as he breaks it, head turning to look back at the Doctor. "Do you get it now?"

The Doctor's face flickers through different emotions before landing on understanding. "Ooooh!"

"And the penny finally drops!" Jack laughs.

"You and him-" She points. "I get it."

Graham can feel the flush on his face. He clears his throat. "Are you sure?" The Doctor nods. "Good."

The Doctor, after a moment of getting over the surprise, smiles. "I'm keeping my eye on you, Captain," She states with a finger pointed at him.

Jack mocks salutes. "Yes, mam, I'll have him home by ten-"

"Oh god," Ryan moans. "I take back what I said earlier-" He complains. "This is hell, literal hell."

Graham shoves Jack, a warning look on his face. "Behave."

Jack winks back at Graham, leaning in towards his ear. "Make me." He whispers, hotly against it.

The Doctor looks at Graham. "Are you happy?"

"I am, Doc," Graham smiles. "If you look at it, every cloud has a silver lining and all," He states with a lopsided smile. "I met Jack, and we got along, so it worked out alright in the end, didn't it?"

"And," Yaz says, pulling attention back to her. "We've learnt more as a team."

Ryan nods. "Graham duty."

"Graham duty?" Graham asks in a puzzled tone. "What the hell is that?"

"Yeah," Ryan smirks. "It's where one of us watches where you go at all times."

"Maybe we'll get one of those leashes-" Yaz says.

Jack's eyes widen, a coy look appearing on his face. "I'll take first watch then if you do," He replies in a low tone before leaning towards Graham. "Now that your ribs are healed." Graham reddens, eyes flicking to Ryan and Yaz, thankful that they never heard any of that.

The Doctor, on the other hand, frowns. "If you're going to do that, Graham," She states, making everyone turn to look at her as she heads towards a cabinet. "Then you'll need these."

Graham's eyes widen when she throws a box at him, spinning it in his hand and flushing bright red when he reads it. "Doc-"

"Just making sure you use protection-"

" _Okay_!" Ryan says, standing up and promptly heading towards the door. "I'm going to go now and try and get that mental image out of my head."

"It's important-"

"That's nice, Doctor," Ryan's voice yells from somewhere in the corridor. "But I still don't need to hear it!"

"Did I say something?"

Yaz snorts, face flushing red. "Come on, Doctor," She says, standing up and taking the socially awkward alien out of the medical bay. "Let's leave them to it."

Graham leans back against the pillow, wincing when the door shuts behind Yaz and the Doctor. "I can't believe she did that," He says, voice quiet, but hysterical sounding. "How am I gonna be able to look Ryan in the eye now?"

"I dunno," Jack smirks, leaning back towards the other man and claiming his mouth in a brief kiss. "But they might come in handy."

"Trust you to look on the bright side about them."

Jack laughs, slipping off the bed and extending a hand towards Graham. "Come on," He says, grinning. "The TARDIS refused to show me where your bedroom was last night."

"Did she?"

"Ah, you know how she is," Jack replies in an affectionate tone. "But maybe you could show me now?"

Graham stares at Jack's hand for a moment before reaching out and taking it. "Alright." He says, returning the smile. "I'll show you where it is."

"Excellent," Jack beams. He steps closer to the other man, hands gently taking his face as he presses his forehead against Graham's, noses touching. "Never set out when I rescued you for this to happen, but I really am glad it did."

"I know," Graham says, leaning forward. "I'm glad it did as well." He pulls Jack into a hug, squeezing him and smiling contently when he hugs back. "I'm really glad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm considering carrying this on, but setting it in an AU where Jack is actually there for the last three episodes of Series 12. I would skip Can You Hear Me? because I set this between Praxeus and that, so let's say the adventure to the world I never named happened instead of that episode.
> 
> I think it would be interesting to have him around when the Doctor gives the Lone Cyberman what it wants, and then onto Ascension and The Timeless Children with Jack.
> 
> Jack meeting Dhawan!Master? Fun!  
> Jack dealing with Graham on the Cybership with Yaz? Angst!
> 
> If you're interested drop a comment! :D
> 
> And thank you for everyone who has read it! This is my second fic I've completed (The first being Possession which is Thirteen and Fam, very angsty) It's been a blast to write this.


End file.
